Monday 6, Oct 2025 {HMC}  The State Minister for Interior, Federal Affairs and Reconciliation of the Federal Government of Somalia, H.E. Sadad Alio, participated in the 76th session of the Executive Committee of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) held at the organization’s headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

The meetings, taking place from October 6–10, 2025, focus on the global refugee situation, with Somalia among the countries hosting large numbers of refugees.

State Minister Alio is accompanied on this official mission by the Chairman of the National Commission for Refugees and IDPs, Mr. Ahmed Hussein Elmi.

source sonna

Monday 6, Oct 2025 {HMC} The Somali National Army (SNA) has driven as  terrorists out of several areas under Awdheegle district in Lower Shabelle region.

The gallant forces, continuing their planned operations against the militants, cleared new locations including Tawakal village, where the terrorists had been hiding. The troops destroyed several hideouts and tunnels used by the militants.

This operation is part of the third phase of Operation Silent Storm, aimed at dismantling -AS regrouping areas and restoring lasting peace and stability in the liberated regions.

source sonna

Monday 6, Oct 2025 {HMC} Kenya raised $1.5 billion via new 7-year 7.875% and 12-year 8.8% bonds, the finance ministry said on Friday, as part of an effort to extend its debt maturities and cut refinancing costs.

The combined 8.7% interest rate was 1% lower than it would have paid at the start of the year, Chris Kiptoo, principal secretary at the Treasury said, while there had been strong investor demand with offers of more than $7.5 billion.

The government is buying back $1 billion of a February 2028 bond and it will use some of the proceeds to finance the repurchase.

The East African country has been working to cut its overall debt, which stands at close to 70% of its GDP, and make repayments more manageable.
The government has revamped its debt maturity management after its shilling currency weakened sharply in the run-up to a big Eurobond maturity in June last year due to market concerns about its ability to pay off that bond.

The new plan involves issuing amortising bonds to avoid the kind of bullet payment it faced last year.

Earlier this year, it also bought back another bond maturing in 2027 as part of the strategy of managing near-term refinancing risks proactively.

The government is also turning to innovative tools to manage its debt load, including a plan to issue a pioneering $1 billion debt-for-food-security swap by March next year.

A team of staff from the International Monetary Fund is currently in Nairobi for talks on a new Fund-supported programme after the expiry of the last one in April.

Reporting by Duncan Miriri; editing by Marc Jones and Jane Merriman

source hiiraaan online

Monday 6, Oct 2025 {HMC}The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, has strongly condemned the AS attack on October 4, 2025, targeting the Godka Jilacow prison in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Youssouf extended condolences to the Government and people of Somalia, particularly the families of the victims, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the attack.

newinside“The Chairperson assures the Somali Government of the full solidarity and unwavering commitment of the African Union to neutralize the pervasive threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism in Somalia, the Horn of Africa, and across the continent,” the statement read.

Youssouf also called on all AU Member States — including Troop and Police Contributing Countries — and the broader international community to intensify their support for the Federal Republic of Somalia and the African Union Support Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM) in their efforts to degrade and eliminate al-Shabaab and other terrorist groups operating in the country.

Somali government forces successfully ended a six-hour siege by militants on Sunday, killing all seven attackers, according to an official government statement. Authorities confirmed that no civilians or security officers were killed during the assault, which was claimed by the al-Qaeda-linked AS group — known for carrying out numerous attacks across Somalia.

The attack came just hours after the federal government lifted several long-standing roadblocks in Mogadishu that had been in place for years to protect key government installations. Many residents had criticized the barriers for obstructing traffic and disrupting business activities.

source hiiraaan online

Monday 6, Oct 2025 {HMC}   The high-level talks between Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Jubbaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe) in Kismayo concluded without any concrete results, as key differences between the two leaders remain unresolved.

President Mohamud and his delegation departed Kismayo on Monday after hours-long discussions with President Madobe, who personally escorted the federal delegation to the airport.

A statement from Villa Somalia said the two sides made “progress” and agreed to continue consultations in future meetings aimed at advancing the dialogue process.

President Hassan Sheikh expressed gratitude to the people and administration of Kismayo for their hospitality, emphasizing that “Somali unity and solidarity are essential for the country’s development.”

However, sources familiar with the talks indicated that core disputes remain unresolved. President Hassan Sheikh maintains that the November 2024 Jubaland election, in which Ahmed Madobe was re-elected, is null and void, insisting that Jubaland must rejoin the National Consultative Council (NCC) framework.

Madobe, on the other hand, has stood firm that the 2024 election is non-negotiable, demanding that the federal government withdraw the warrant issued for his arrest and instead work cooperatively with Jubaland on state-building efforts.

The political standoff between the federal government and Jubaland dates back to 2024, following the disputed regional election that led to heightened tensions and sporadic clashes in parts of Jubaland.

The Kismayo meeting was widely viewed as a key opportunity to rebuild trust and foster cooperation after years of strained relations, but the lack of tangible outcomes underscores the continuing challenges in Somalia’s federal–member state relations.

source hiiraaan online