Somaliland among Founding Members of the Council of African Cabinet Secretaries

Communiqué: Council of African Cabinet Secretaries

Somalilandsun - We, the African Cabinet Secretaries and representatives of other African Cabinet Secretaries, having met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 3-7 February 2014, have agreed to establish the Africa Cabinet Government Network as a permanent organisation to provide formal and informal opportunities for collaboration, mutual support and sharing practical experiences.

This decision reflects our shared commitment to evidence-informed Cabinet decision-making by our governments and effective implementation of Cabinet decisions.

The Network also facilitates technical assistance to Cabinet Secretariats and others involved in managing Cabinet processes in Africa.

To achieve this, we have today established the Council of African Cabinet Secretaries to lead the Network and bring together those who have the responsibility of supporting and managing the collective Cabinet decision-making in our respective jurisdictions. The Cabinet Secretaries from Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda (who was unable to attend the workshop), Sierra Leone, Somalia, SOMALILAND, South Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zanzibar are foundation members of the Council. Other African Cabinet Secretaries are being invited to join.

At its inaugural meeting today, the Council elected Dr Ernest Surrur, Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service of the Government of Sierra Leone, as President of the Council. Dr Momo Rogers, Director General to the Cabinet, Government of Liberia, Mr Abdon Agaw Jok Nhial, Secretary General of the Government of South Sudan, and Dr Roland Msiska, Secretary to the Cabinet of the Government of the Republic of Zambia, have been elected Vice Presidents for West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa Regions respectively.

Despite some differences among our systems of government, we share many common objectives and challenges. We are all committed to strengthening the support we provide our Cabinets, especially to ensure that policy proposals are informed by evidence, leading to decisions that can be successfully implemented and monitored.

During the workshop we explored practical ways to improve Cabinet procedures and build capacity within Cabinet Secretariats and line Ministries. We seek to use systematic procedures and processes to produce better outcomes in the national interest. We identified ways of improving the quality of policy proposals coming before Cabinet, recognizing the importance of evidence to inform policy formulation, implementation and the monitoring and evaluation of Cabinet initiatives.

We look forward to future meetings and interactions in a spirit of co-operation and enthusiasm for mutual learning and support across Africa. With an expanded group of Cabinet Secretaries, we will seek to build on this excellent foundation and learn more from one another about practical ways to support our Governments to make and implement policy for the good of our respective citizens.
We appreciate the funding provided by the UK Government for the African Cabinet Government Network and we look forward to building support from additional sources. We also wish to thank the organisers, Adam Smith International, and the presenters at the workshop.

We express our gratitude to the Ghanaian Delegation for accepting our proposal to host the next round-table workshop.

Finally we give our thanks to the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Ethiopia for hosting us during this period, and to our various governments for allowing us to participate in this initiative.


Dr Ernest Surrur, 7th February, 2014

Djibouti Soldiers receive $728 While Sierra Leone Soldiers get $828

Sierra Leone Minister of Defense, Retired Major Alfred Palo Conteh 

By Abdulai Mento Kamara

The Minister of Defense, Retired Major Alfred Palo Conteh (in photo) has told members of the public through the media during the usual weekly Government press briefing in Freetown that Sierra Leone is paying their peace keeping mission soldiers in Somalia $828 as monthly salary for each soldier while Djibouti soldiers receive $728.

He also stated that Kenya which he described as the richest country in Africa apart from South Africa is paying each peace keeping soldier  $1,028.

Major Conteh argued that if Sierra Leone pays the same amount to its soldiers as the Kenyans then they have to quit the Mission because they cannot afford the expenses of such high salaries.

“It was the savings we made during our deployment in Sudan that we used to buy ammunition and train one thousand Soldiers for the Somalia peace keeping mission,” he revealed.

He admonished Journalists to stop presenting irrelevant and unfounded stories against the Ministry and any other public entities as such false reports will discourage the Soldiers in the Mission zone.

He stated that if those soldiers in the war area feel aggrieved, the will definitely take up arms and go on the rampage, stressing that if the Army collapses the whole country will collapse.

He described the Auditor General’s Report that Ministry of Defense has squandered  Le 500 million as baseless. He said he is not a signatory to any account of the Ministry of Defense. He reiterated that they as an entity they are open to scrutiny and are accountable like any other Ministry.

He pointed out that the Military is so organized as a Government within the Government because any activity of the Government is replicated in the Army.

The Minister emphasized that his men have been performing exemplary in the peace keeping mission in Somalia.

“I am very grateful to be their Leader,‘’ he mused.

He noted that Sierra Leone is one of the countries in the world that is strongly fighting against terrorism especially presently in Somalia.

When asked on the issue of the alleged mutiny he replied that the mutineers are still incarcerated at the Pademba Road Prison and that charges have been filed against them to face a Court Martial soon.

He explained that the alleged offences brought against them are against the State and could therefore only be handled by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice or the Law Officers Department.

He observed that the country is relatively peaceful now as the moral of the Soldiers keeps rising.

Source: sierraexpressmedia.com

Photo from Djibouti wins World Press Photo award

The photo won first prize in the prestigious World Press Photo awards, which have been running since 1955.

US photojournalist John Stanmeyer has won first prize in the 2014 World Press Photo awards for his image of African migrants near Djibouti city.

The moonlit image shows men trying to get a phone signal from nearby Somalia.

Panel member Jillian Edelstein said the photo raised issues of technology, globalisation, migration, poverty, desperation, alienation and humanity.

The prestigious awards, selected by an expert panel, have been running since 1955.

Stanmeyer shot the winning image while on assignment for the US-based National Geographic magazine, and said that it was an honour to win the prize.

"It connects to all of us," he told the AFP news agency.

"It's just people trying to call loved ones. It could be you, it could be me, it could be any one of us."

Another panel member, Susan Linfield, said: "So many pictures of migrants show them as bedraggled and pathetic... but this photo is not so much romantic, as dignified."

Almost one hundred thousand pictures were submitted for the competition.

Stanmeyer is a founding member of the VII photo agency.


He has been the recipient of several other honours including the Magazine Photographer of the Year and Picture of the Year awards, as well as the 2008 National Magazine Award for Photojournalism

Ethiopia PM warns Egypt against taking dam file to UNSC-UPDATED

Relations between Ethiopia and Egypt have soured over Ethiopia's plans to build its Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which represents Egypt's main source of water.

World Bulletin / News Desk

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said Wednesday that Egypt would be on the losing side if it referred the issue of Ethiopia's multibillion-dollar hydroelectric dam project to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

"We're ready for this and will win politically," Desalegntold local reporters on Wednesday.

He went on to describe as "useless" Egyptian plans to take the Ethiopian dam file to the UNSC.

The Ethiopian prime minister added that work on the dam was proceeding on schedule despite stalled negotiations between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, which Desalegn attributed to Egyptian "intransigence."

Relations between Ethiopia and Egypt have soured over Ethiopia's plans to build its Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile, which represents Egypt's main source of water.

The controversial project has raised alarm bells in Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, regarding its traditional share of Nile water.

Water distribution among Nile basin states has long been based on a colonial-era agreement granting Egypt and Sudan the lion's share of the river's water.

Ethiopia, for its part,says it must build a series of dams in order to generate electricity, both for local consumption and export.

Addis Ababainsists the new dam can benefit downstream states Sudan and Egypt, which will be invited to purchase electricity thusgenerated.

Local Egyptian media recently quoted Irrigation Ministry spokesman Khalid Wasif as saying that Egypt would take its complaints against the Ethiopian dam project to the international level.

Desalegn responded by saying that the international community sympathized with his country's "just" position.

He stressed Ethiopia's desirefor stable relations with Egypt, reiterating his country's rejection of what he described as the "language of threats" employed against Ethiopia by the Egyptian media.

He went on to rule out the notionof armed conflict between the two countries, describingsuch an outcome as "impossible."

Egypt irrigation minister says 'all options are open'

Water Resources and Irrigation Minister Mohamed Abdel-Muttalib on Thursday said that "all options are open" for Egypt regarding Ethiopia's multibillion-dollar hydroelectric dam project, which Egypt fears could threaten its traditional share of Nile water.

"Ethiopian decision-makers must bring a solution to the table that won't compromise Egypt's share of water," Abdel-Muttalib told Anadolu Agency.

Abdel-Muttalib stressed that Egypt wouldn't close the door to negotiations with Addis Ababa, but maintained that the "internationalization" of the crisis remained an option for the Egyptian government in the event of an impasse.

"All options and scenarios are open," Abdel-Muttalib asserted. "Each party has the right to defend its interests without compromising the other's rights."

Turkish Foreign Ministry says plans are under way to continue needed aid to Somalia.

Turkish Foreign Ministry 

The Turkish Foreign Ministry denied Sunday that it had cut off aid to Somalia over allegations of graft in the east African country.

"We are working on the donation plan to Somalia for the year 2014 within the scope of our comprehensive support to the Somali government," the ministry said in a statement. 

A report published Sunday quoted an unnamed Turkish foreign ministry official as saying the support payments to Somalia had stopped at the end of 2013. Turkey's aid has been a significant source of funding for the Somali government, which is trying to rebuild the country after more than two decades of war and lawlessness.

The report also quoted an unnamed Somali government official as confirming that Turkish aid had been cut off.

The Foreign Ministry statement said that Turkey sent cash to Somalia between June and December of 2013 following a request from the Somali president for help with his country's budget deficit. The money was delivered in cash because the Somali banking system was not working, the statement said.

The ministry said that the visit to Somalia in 2011 by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan marked a turning point in Somali history, because Turkish people, companies and foundations have donated billions of Turkish Liras for health care, education, infrastructure and other humanitarian projects for the country. 

The statement said that Turkey and its people would continue to stand with the Somali people.

Source: World Bulletin/News Desk

Somalia Powerless to Stop Al-Shabaab Mobile Internet Shutdown

Mogadishu — Osman Ali, the owner of an electronics shop in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, has been hard-hit since Al-Shabaab forced the biggest telecoms company to switch off its mobile internet service in this Horn of Africa nation.

"I don't understand why the government has not done anything to deal with the situation. It could at least try and find an alternative for the people. This has thrown the country into darkness. We are left behind," Ali told IPS from his shop, explaining that his sales had dropped dramatically since the shutdown.

In January, Al-Shabaab issued a 15-day ultimatum for local giant, Hormuud Telecom, to stop proving mobile internet and fibre optic services because it said they were used by Western spy agencies to collect information on Muslims.

Hormuud officials said company staff were forced "at gun point" by Al-Shabaab fighters to switch off the mobile internet service.

According to Internet World Stats, more than 125,000 of the country's 10 million people use the internet in Somalia. Tens of thousands of people who relied on Hormuud's services have been unable to access the internet on their mobile phones from Feb. 6. However, fixed broadband services are still available.

The Mayor of Mogadishu, Mohamed Nur Tarzan, told the media that Hormuud officials had said company staff were forced "at gunpoint" by Al-Shabaab fighters to switch off the mobile internet service.

Hormuud, which claims to be the market leader in south and central Somalia "with over 60 percent of market share in both mobile and broadband services", has not officially commented on the ban.

However, a Hormuud official told IPS on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media, that they had no option but to comply.

"I don't think we had another alternative ... we are just business people and cannot confront an armed group's orders. We tried our best to convince them [Al-Shabaab] that our services do not harm the public in any way, but that was in vain," the official said.

The company has switched off the service not only to areas controlled by Al-Shabaab but across the centre of the country and in Mogadishu. However, the ban has not affected the northeastern regions of Puntland and the northwestern province of Somaliland where separate mobile networks operate.

Somalia: Fired military officers join al-Shabab militants

Muqdisho: Nearly fifty military personnel including high ranked officers have opted to join al-Shabab, after Somalia’s  government dismissed them from their posts, a fired Lieutenant Colonel told Kulmiye, local radio in Mogadishu.

Somali government has dismissed more than one hundred officers earlier this month, after they were accused of neglecting their national duties.

Lt. Col. Gelle Farah, who is among the fired officers, said that he understands fifty of the dismissed officers with their arms have joined the al-Qaeda affiliated group, al-Shabab, instead of idling.
He pointed out that some of the remaining officers are in Mogadishu, since they cannot go back to their hometowns, which are still under al-Shabab, if they do not join them.

Somali government did not comment on the claim of the fired Lt. Col, but Somali Current sources say that the government is keep an eye on them.

Source:  Somalicurrent

Egyptian firms show interest to invest in Ethiopia

The communication director of the Ethiopian Investment Agency said Egyptian companies are currently carrying out 22 projects in Ethiopia worth 797 million Ethiopian Birr.

The Ethiopian Investment Agency said Saturday that Egyptian companies are showing an interest to funnel investments into Ethiopia.

"No sign of this," Getahun Negash, the agency's communication director, told Anadolu Agency when asked if Egyptian companies are shying away from investing in Ethiopia over tension about a planned Ethiopian dam project on the River Nile.

"On the contrary, a number of Egyptian companies are presenting investment applications to the agency," he added.

Negash said Egyptian companies are currently carrying out 22 projects in Ethiopia worth 797 million Ethiopian Birr in the fields of manufacturing, agriculture, construction, education and tour operation.

The Egyptian projects have created nearly 5,000 job opportunities for Ethiopians, he said, going on to say that additional 16 projects worth 486 million Birr have  already been licensed, which is an indication to the increase in the Egyptian investment in Ethiopia.

Negash said that his agency does not mix investment with politics.

"As far as the companies are concerned, I believe that they do not ever think to mix the two," he added.
Relations between Ethiopia and Egypt soured last year over Ethiopia's plans to build its Grand Renaissance Dam on the upper reaches of the Nile River – Egypt's main source of water.

The controversial project raised alarm bells in Egypt, the Arab world's most populous country, which fears a reduction of its traditional share of Nile water.

Water distribution among the states of the Nile Basin has long been based on a colonial-era agreement granting Egypt and Sudan the lion's share of the river's water.

Ethiopia, for its part, is determined to build a series of dams in order to generate electricity, both for local consumption and export.

Addis Ababa insists the new dam will benefit downstream states Sudan and Egypt, which will be invited to purchase electricity thus generated.

Source: World Bulletin / News Desk

Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba sets third record of the month

Ethiopia's Genzebe Dibaba set her third world best in 15 days by shattering the indoor two-mile record at the Birmingham Indoor Grand Prix.

The 23-year-old's time of nine minutes and 0.48 seconds eclipsed Meseret Defar's mark by almost six seconds.

Dibaba, sister of three-time Olympic champion Tirunesh, already owns the world 3,000m and 1500m  indoor records.

Elsewhere, British indoor champion James Dasaolu won the men's 60m despite suffering an injury during the race.

The 26-year-old Londoner posted the quickest time of the year in the heats, clocking 6.47 seconds, but his 6.50-second victory in the final was marred by an injury sustained in the final 10m.

Dasaolu, a medal hope for next month's World Indoor Championships, later said he suspected it was cramp after initially fearing a hamstring problem.

"My left leg felt tight at about 40-50m. I think it's cramp, but I'll go and see the doctors and see what they say," said Dasaolu, who was clutching his left leg while crossing the line.

British Athletics medical staff said the sprinter would be assessed further on Monday.

It was the final race of the day, however, which drew a standing ovation from a sell-out crowd who applauded Dibaba's incredible feat.

The Ethiopian was expected to better compatriot Defar's time of 9:06.28, set in Prague in 2009, and did so convincingly, despite slowing towards the end.

Her feat is a world best rather than a world record as the two miles race is not an official world record event.

Dibaba, who is also the sister of Olympic silver medallist Ejegayehu Dibaba, broke the 3,000m world indoor record by 13 seconds on 6 February. That record in Stockholm came just five days after she had set the 1500m world indoor mark in Karlsruhe, Germany.

It was a photo finish in the women's 60m, with Murielle Ahoure taking victory despite 100m world and Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce crossing the line in the same time of 7.10 seconds.

There was a personal best for Scotland's Laura Muir, who held off a late challenge from Sifan Hassan of the Netherlands to win a thrilling 1500m in 4:05.32.

"I'm so happy. I knew I was in good shape and that it was a matter of running a good race," said Muir, now second behind Dame Kelly Holmes on the UK all-time women's 1500m indoor list.

Olympic champion Greg Rutherford, who ruptured a hamstring in 2013 and failed to qualify for the World Championships final in Moscow, came third in his first indoor long jump competition in four years.

His best of 8.00m was not enough to beat world champion Aleksandr Menkov (8.14m).

Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz (2.27m) could only finish third behind winner Erik Kynard (2.34m) in the men's long jump.

Holly Bleasdale, the European indoor champion, won the women's pole vault by 10cm. The 23-year-old from Preston could not improve on her winning height of 4.71m, despite three attempts at 4.77m.

Ethiopia aims to be African power hub

Ethiopia started building a dam last year to divert the flow of the Blue Nile

By Katrina Manson in Addis Ababa

In a region where religious differences often lead to political tension and the threat of violence, there is one area where they help: electricity exports.

Ethiopia, which has a strong Orthodox Christian tradition, consumes less power during its weekends, leaving a surplus for export to Muslim neighbours Djibouti and Sudan, where Sunday is a working day. The two countries also require more energy at night to mitigate searing heat, while Ethiopians need more during the day.

“When they have heavy load we have a light load so it works out well,” says Miheret Debebe, former head of Ethiopia’s state power company who is now energy adviser to the prime minister.
This flexibility is one part of an ambitious 25-year master plan to transform the country into one of the top, and cheapest –, power suppliers in Africa.

Mapping dams

The prize: potentially $1bn a year in revenues from renewable power for Ethiopia and cheap supplies for a region short of electricity to power much needed industrial production. The downside: some of the prohibitively expensive projects are also controversial, including a giant dam on the Blue Nile.

As part of a $22bn African Union backed project to develop a pan-continental electricity highway by 2020, Ethiopia plans to increase its power exports to Djibouti, Kenya and Sudan, and establish grid links to South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and even to Yemen across the Red Sea.

Donald Kaberuka, president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), says it is the first time an African government “look[s] at energy as an export sector the way you export gold, and it’s going to be a huge advantage for them”.

The electricity master plan, due to be released this year, aims to boost power exports from 223MW a year now to at least 5,000MW, according to people familiar with the discussions. In Europe, 1,000MW is enough to power nearly 1m homes.

“Energy is a very strategic sector for us – Ethiopia is going to be the renewable energy hub of the region,” Mr Debebe says in an interview in Addis Ababa.

The AfDB and the World Bank are providing financing to help electricity exports from Ethiopia, including $1.5bn for a newly opened grid link to Kenya with the capacity to transport up to 2,000MW of power. Kenya has signed a memorandum of understanding to buy about 400MW per year and Ethiopia is in talks with Tanzania for a similar deal. It is also in talks with Yemen to export 100MW, via Djibouti and a submarine cable, and discussing a link with South Sudan.

Despite frequent blackouts at home, Ethiopia’s potential power production capacity from hydro as well as geothermal, wind and solar energy may be more than 60,000MW, according to official estimates. That is equal to roughly half the total current installed capacity in Africa of 147,000MW and would make it one of the continent’s top potential electricity producers, alongside South Africa and DR Congo.

Energy is part of its regional strategic plan. So [Ethiopia] becomes an energy superpower and along the way it also gains political clout- Senior regional official

Mr Miheret hopes Ethiopia’s master plan will provide “project bankable studies” that will attract private sector investment to turn potential into reality. US-Icelandic company Reykjavik Geothermal has signed a $4bn deal to build a 1,000MW geothermal plant, the continent’s largest, by the beginning of the next decade. A 120MW wind farm, again the continent’s biggest, started turning late last year thanks to a $290m French investment.

Financing, timelines and politics will determine whether the grand plan to transform Ethiopia into an electricity exporter is realised, however. A World Bank study published last year shows project time over-run typically exceeds targets by 130 per cent, twice as much as in Zambia and more than famous laggard Tanzania.

Within three years, Ethiopian officials say the country’s power generation capacity will reach 11,000MW, up roughly fivefold from 2,300MW today, if two large, and controversial, hydropower projects keep to schedule.

Most of the new production capacity is expected to come from the $4.8bn Grand Renaissance Dam, a 6,000MW hydropower project. The first phase of the project, which could be completed in 2017, will generate about 700MW by the end of this year. Officials say the project is on course – with more than 30 per cent completed. The dam is so controversial it has elicited violent threats from Egyptian officials who fear its impact on Nile flows downstream. The third phase of another dam known as Gilgel Gibe will deliver 1,870MW next year.

If it all comes off, Ethiopia may also be the beneficiary of another sort of power : “Energy is part of its regional strategic plan,” says a senior regional official. “So [Ethiopia] becomes an energy superpower and along the way it also gains political clout” in Africa.