Tuesday 9, April ,2024 {HMC} Mortar fire in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed three Tanzanian soldiers who were part of a southern Africa force deployed to help government troops battling M23 rebels, officials said.

The regional force sent soldiers to North Kivu province in December to help Kinshasa regain ground from the M23 militia in the lawless east.

The force includes soldiers from regional military heavyweight South Africa, Tanzania and Malawi.

“This unfortunate incident happened after a hostile mortar round had fallen near the camp [where] they were staying,” the 10-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) said in a statement.

It gave no further details.

A source at the North Kivu governorate said the mortar attack struck last Thursday and a ceremony to honor the dead was held at SADC headquarters in the provincial capital, Goma, on Monday.

A soldier from South Africa has also died in a hospital while being treated for health problems, the SADC statement said.

After several years of dormancy, the mostly Tutsi M23 (March 23 Movement) group took up arms again in late 2021 and has seized swaths of North Kivu province.

Decades of violence

The region has been beset by violence in the decades since regional wars in the 1990s.

The DRC, the U.N. and Western countries accuse Rwanda of supporting the rebels in a bid to control the region’s vast mineral resources, an allegation Kigali denies.

The force suffered its first losses in mid-February when two South African soldiers were killed by mortars at Mubambiro camp, near the town of Sake, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) from Goma.

A Congolese security source, asking not to be named, said the Tanzanian casualties happened at the same camp.

The force was to take over from an East African peacekeeping force, whose mandate was ended by Kinshasa, which accused it of colluding with the rebels instead of fighting them.

The U.N. mission in the DRC, MONUSCO, is also being wound down.

The 15,000 U.N. troops deployed in the vast central African country started to leave in February at the request of the Kinshasa government, which considers them ineffective.

The withdrawal is due to be completed by the end of the year.

According to an internal U.N. document seen by AFP, M23 rebels have made new gains in the east after Indian U.N. troops abandoned positions near Goma.

MONUSCO said in a note to staff that “the current security situation is becoming increasingly volatile as M23 has reached the northern outskirts of Sake.”

The population of Goma has doubled to 2 million as refugees have fled the advance of the rebel group.

Residents said that M23 and Congolese forces exchanged artillery fire throughout the weekend around Sake and the western outskirts of Goma.

SOURCE VOA

Tuesday 9, April ,2024 {HMC} The U.S. Embassy in Nairobi says it has received information about threats to multiple locations in the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

One of the locations identified as a possible target for the threat is the city’s main airport, the Aden Adde International Airport, which also serves as a base for the African Union mission in Somalia and multiple embassies, including the United States and other Western countries.

“All movements of U.S. Embassy personnel have been canceled for Tuesday, April 9, 2024,” the security alert said. The alert added, “The U.S. Department of State level-four travel advisory (“do not travel”) for Somalia remains in effect due to crime, terrorism, civil unrest, health issues, kidnapping, and piracy.”

U.S. citizens have been urged to take several measures including reviewing their personal security plans and avoiding large crowds, gatherings and demonstrations, among other steps, to ensure their safety.

The United States did not specify where the threat is coming from, but the al-Shabab militant group has been carrying out attacks against the Somali government, African Union forces and other nations supporting Somalia.

One of the installations that al-Shabab penetrated multiple times in the past has been the airport in Mogadishu. In March 2022, al-Shabab gunmen managed to enter a section of the airport, killing a number of people including foreigners.

In February 2016, an al-Shabab member carrying a laptop bomb boarded a flight and attempted to bring it down. He was the only one killed after the explosion ejected him from the plane during the flight.

Meanwhile, the Somali government Monday said that an airstrike killed more than 50 al-Shabab militants near the town of Harardhere in Galmudug state. The state-controlled Somali National News Agency said the operation was conducted in collaboration with “international partners.”

VOA has not independently verified the casualty figure given by the government.

The development comes as Somalia prepares for the withdrawal of troops from the African Union Transition Mission, or ATMIS, by the end of this year.

And as the ATMIS drawdown continues, the Somali government has requested that the AU lead a multinational force that will replace the current ATMIS mission. The new multinational mission will operate in Somalia for one year from January 2025.

In a statement, the AU Peace and Security Council said it welcomes the proposal by the federal government of Somalia for a post-ATMIS security arrangement in Somalia.

Somali officials declined to give further details about the composition of the troops and which countries will be contributing. But in an interview with VOA Somali in February, the national security adviser to Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Hussein Sheikh-Ali, said the mission will consist of “lean multinational forces” tasked with protecting key areas and infrastructure.

SOURCE VOA

by Naftali Mwaura
Monday April 8, 2024

Braving chilly weather, a young crowd of revelers filled the giant Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) dome in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, Saturday evening to attend the Boomfest, a musical concert sponsored by Boomplay, a popular music streaming platform in Africa.

One by one, popular artists joined the well-lit stage of the ASK dome, belting out lyrics that lightened the mood of the audience.

Sylvia Saru, a female rap artist who headlined the show had a powerful stage presence, winning the hearts of fans with songs whose message captured popular social themes.

“Basically, this Boomfest show is here to unite us, to celebrate Kenyan music and give visibility to our own artists,” Saru said on the sidelines of the well-attended festival.

Among the Chinese firms that sponsored the festival was Transsion, the parent company of the Infinix, Tecno, and Itel brands of smartphones that are popular in Kenya, as well as Oraimo, a maker of wearables and music-listening devices.

Africa’s largest music streaming platform, Boomplay, founded by a young Chinese entrepreneur together with Kenyan innovators, convened the Boomfest, which attracted over ten local artists.

Martha Huro, the managing director for East Africa at Boomplay, said the festival was aimed at celebrating the rapid evolution of indigenous music while honoring the resilience and agility of local artists. “We need to celebrate African music in Africa, which does not happen often. As a number one music streaming app in Africa, we decided to organize a festival for the African market,” Huro said.

She added that Boomplay, founded in 2015 by Transsnet Music Limited, has been crucial in revolutionizing Kenya’s entertainment industry, forging robust ties between artists and their fans.

According to Huro, Boomplay has boosted revenue streams for local artists besides helping them fight piracy and is user-friendly and affordable to music lovers compared with other Western competitors.

In Africa, Boomplay has more than 100 million users and in Kenya, the music streaming platform has about 4.5 million active users and 15 million total users, according to Huro.

She said that in Boomplay, Kenyan artists and their fans have found a credible platform to stream music, adding that it has been embraced by about 10,000 local artists. Huro said that Boomplay’s business model is sustainable, and based on embracing the needs and aspirations of local users, while the platform has focused on live music shows, diversifying revenue.

Besides providing a platform for Kenyan artists to showcase their talents, Boomfest created business opportunities for vendors in the transport and hospitality sectors.

Benjamin Otwal, the owner of a recording label and Boomplay’s ex-employee, said that by organizing Boomfest, the music streaming platform was able to engage directly with its users, attend to their expectations, and boost its revenue streams.

According to Otwal, Kenyan artists and their fans are now more conscious of the benefits of streaming music, thanks to the mass market platform provided by Boomplay.

A music promoter, who preferred to use his business name Jinx, said that Boomfest raised the profile of local artists, enabling them to connect with their audience in a friendly environment. “I liked Boomfest, it is high time we had more programming with local artists. It is good to build platforms where our local artists shine and connect with their audience,” Jinx said.

Monday April 8, 2024

Hundreds of Miraa farmers from Meru County have decried a cartel they claim has been exploiting them.

The farmers protested at Maili Tatu in Igembe yesterday accusing the national government and agencies of neglecting the Miraa sector.

They announced a seven-day Miraa harvesting boycott in protest against the alleged existence of a cartel determining Miraa price and dedicating how many tons of the crop has to be exported.

Through their spokesman James Mithika, they said while the four main Miraa growing zones (Igembe North, Igembe Central, Igembe South, Tigania East) could produce 100 tons a day, only 10 or 12 tons were being exported currently.

Angry farmers said the cartel had a stranglehold on Miraa exports to Somalia, the only remaining major market after the crop was banned from the UK and other parts of Europe.

“A select few airlines are carrying Miraa consignments, the government should license more transporters because there is no law that dictates that Miraa should only go to Somalia by air. We want to transport it by road and sea,” Mithika said.

The farmers singled out Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi who they felt had not done enough to rescue them as Miraa prices dropped amid declining exports.

They said when President William Ruto took over and the cartels were still controlling Miraa trade, a kilogram of Miraa was selling at between Sh1,800 and Sh2,000.

“Now it is trading at Sh200-Sh300 a kilo, a drop that has never happened in our history,” the irate farmers lamented.

Lawi Muthomi, a representative of Miraa traders said only six operators currently had access to the Somalia market and asked the government to allow more.

“Initially, there were many Miraa transporters and exporters to Somalia but currently only six exporters are allowed to access the Somalia market,” Muthomi said.

They said the airlines charge Sh584.13 (4.5 USD) per kilo of miraa which they opined was expensive.

They claimed that because the national carrier, Kenya Airways does not carry Miraa, the other airlines had the freedom to demand exorbitant fees to ferry the commodity.

“This has exposed the Miraa sector to extortion and strengthening the cartel at airports that has caused the greatest challenge in Miraa business,” Muthomi said.

He added: “Miraa farmers have suffered huge losses due to the production costs and it has greatly affected families and the economy in the miraa growing region.”

Monday April 8, 2024

A joint statement was issued today at the conclusion of the visit of the Federal Republic of Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, reading as follows:

At the invitation of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and based on the distinguished relations between the two countries and their brotherly peoples, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud came on an official visit to the Kingdom on April 6, 2024.

His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received the president at Al-Safa Palace in Makkah, where they reviewed bilateral relations and ways to develop them, and exchanged views on current regional and international developments.
The two sides stressed the need to continue joint work in the economic, trade and investment fields, to develop and diversify the volume of trade, and to intensify visits by officials and private sector representatives from both countries. Remarkably, the volume of trade between the two countries witnessed a 105% year-on-year growth from 2021 to 2022.

Recognizing the opportunities presented by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the two parties agreed on the need to boost investment in the agricultural, livestock, fisheries, transportation, logistics services, and ports.

They welcomed the results of the Saudi-Somali round table, which was held on the sidelines of the Saudi-African summit, attended by the Somali president.

The two sides also stressed the importance of maintaining stability in global energy markets.
Somalia commended the Kingdom’s role in maintaining a balanced global oil market, which benefits both producer and consumer nations, and fosters sustainable economic growth.

Discussions on climate change highlighted the shared commitment to comply with the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement. The two parties emphasized the need to produce and implement climate action plans that prioritize reduction of emissions.

The Somali side expressed its appreciation for the Kingdom’s pioneering Saudi Green Initiative and Middle East Green Initiative, and pledged its support for Saudi Arabia’s endeavors to combat climate change.

The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation across a broad spectrum of areas, such as: electricity, renewable energy, and energy efficiency; supplying petroleum derivatives, petrochemicals agricultural nutrients, and examining opportunities for innovative uses of hydrocarbons; agriculture and food security, and private sector investment and trade partnerships in the field of agricultural and food industries; communications, technology, digital economy, innovation, and space; judiciary and justice; air transport, ports, logistics and civil aviation; culture; sports; social development; education; media; geological survey and mining.

The two sides discussed increasing military and security cooperation to achieve common goals. They agreed to strengthen collaboration in combating all forms of crime, including smuggling, terrorism and financing terrorism. They committed to sharing information to neutralize threats from terrorism and extremism, and to promote moderation and tolerance.

Furthermore, the two parties affirmed their unwavering resolve to heighten the level of coordination and cooperation in combating cross-border crimes in all their manifestations. Such commitment entails collaborating to prosecute perpetrators, recover proceeds accrued through illicit activities, and leverage the expertise and resources of the Global Operation Network of Anti-Corruption Law Enforcement Authorities (GlobE Network). Moreover, the exchange of experience and specialized training will be pursued, ultimately contributing to the strengthening of the security and stability of the two brotherly nations.

The Kingdom welcomed the reforms achieved by Somalia under the leadership of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and the restoration of security and stability in many Somali regions. Saudi Arabia praised the progress achieved by Somali forces against terrorist organizations, and expressed the need for the international community to support Somali efforts to eliminate terrorism.

The Kingdom also welcomed the UN Security Council’s decision to lift the arms embargo on Somalia, which opens the way for building Somali security forces who can thus assume security responsibilities after the withdrawal of African Union forces.

The Kingdom welcomed the international creditors’ decision to approve debt forgiveness for Somalia, due to the success of Somalia’s efforts to implement economic reforms to achieve sustainable development, gaining credibility for its financial institutions.

Regarding the memorandum of understanding that Ethiopia signed with the Somali region (Somaliland), the Kingdom voiced its great concern for the unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia and its sovereignty over its entire territory. The two sides affirmed their adherence to the Arab League decision, dated January 17, 2024, which affirmed support for the security, stability, unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Somalia.

The two sides also stressed the need to adhere to the principles of good neighborliness, behave wisely to spare the region the risk of tension and conflicts, and do the utmost to preserve the security and stability of the region, and enhance cooperation and integration among the countries of the region.

Regarding regional issues, the two sides discussed developments in Palestine, and expressed deep concern about the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza Strip and the brutal war the strip has been witnessing, and about the death of tens of thousands of unarmed civilians killed by deliberate attacks by the Israeli occupation forces.

They stressed the need to stop military operations in the Palestinian territories, protect civilians and enable international humanitarian organizations to carry out their task of providing humanitarian aid. They also stressed that the international community must play a role in putting an end to Israeli violations.

The two sides welcomed the UN Security Council resolution regarding a ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan, and stressed the need to intensify efforts to reach a comprehensive and just settlement to the Palestinian issue in accordance with the principle of the two-state solution, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the relevant international resolutions, in a way that guarantees the Palestinian people their right to establish an independent state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

In regard to Yemen, the two sides stressed the importance of lending full support to international and regional efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution to the Yemeni crisis.

The Somali side praised the Kingdom’s efforts and its many initiatives aimed at encouraging dialogue and reconciliation between the Yemeni parties, as well as its role in providing and facilitating the arrival of humanitarian aid to all regions of Yemen.

The two sides said that it is important to maintain the security and stability of the Red Sea region, stressing that freedom of navigation is an international requirement right that works in the interest of the entire world, and called for restraint and to avoid escalation in the context of the events taking place in the region.

Regarding the Sudanese issue, the two sides stressed that the two parties to the conflict should end the conflict between them. They welcomed the outcome of the Jeddah talks (2) on November 7, 2023, which was a commitment to take steps to facilitate the increase in humanitarian aid and implement confidence-building measures in preparation for reaching a permanent cessation of hostilities, and to alleviate the suffering of the Sudanese people.

At the conclusion of the visit, the Somali president thanked and expressed appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for the good reception and hospitality shown to him and his accompanying delegation.

HRH the Crown Prince expressed his best wishes to the Somali president, and wished further progress and prosperity to the brotherly Somali people.

Monday April 8, 2024

In Saudi Arabia, El Al Fitr 2024 is confirmed to take place on April 10, according to the country’s Islamic authorities.

Religious committees across the country said that the moon was not visible tonight.

Therefore, the first day of the tenth month in the Islamic calendar Shawwal will be on April 10, marking the end of Ramadan.

With this confirmation, Ramadan completed 30 days in Saudi Arabia, which announced March 11 as the first of the holy month.

Eid Al Fitr celebration will mark a holiday that will start on March 29 for schools.

Classes will resume from April 15.

As for private and nonprofit sectors, they will enjoy a four-day Eid Al Fitr holiday that will start on April 8.

Eid A Fitr celebrations in Muslim countries kick off with morning prayers followed by family gatherings for breakfast.

In the Middle East, family visit exchanges are common, with the gatherings marking gift exchanges among family members.

Children are usually wearing new clothes to celebrate Eid.

Several other countries are expected to announce April 10 as the first day of Eid Al Fitr, including Morocco, which is set to announce the official date for the feast today following the crescent moon sighting.