By: Kiflu Hussain I might never have known about the existence of African Media Initiative (AMI), had I not received an invitation from this organization that sounds well intentioned. In 2011, I was pleasantly surprised by an email from AMI that invited me to attend the fourth African Media Leaders Forum (AMLF) in Tunis. It...
BY THE CANADIAN PRESS OTTAWA – A longtime Canadian diplomat will become the country’s first ambassador to Somalia in more than two decades. The announcement of David Angell’s appointment marks a restart of diplomatic relations between Canada and the east Africa country. Canada hasn’t had an ambassador accredited to Somalia since 1990 but had signalled...
A federal appeals court in Virginia is weighing the conviction of a Somali man called the biggest U.S. catch in the international war on piracy in waters off Africa. Judges engaged in a lively back-and-forth Tuesday with an attorney for Mohammad Saaili Shibin and a government prosecutor. Shibin was sentenced last August in Norfolk to...
VOA News A U.S. federal court has handed down prison terms for two men convicted of supporting Somali militant group al-Shabab.Forty-six-year-old Mahamud Sharif Omar was sentenced Tuesday to spend at least 20 years in prison on two separate jail terms to be served concurrently. Twenty-eight-year-old Kamal Said Hassan was sentenced to spend at least 10...
Saudi ship owner paid ransom money to Somali pirates to crew released The Saudi owner of an Algerian cargo ship whose crew was held by Somali pirates for 10 months admitted paying $2.6 million to free them in November 2011, an Algerian paper reported on Tuesday. The ‘MV Blida’, carrying 17 Algerians, six Ukrainians, two...
The Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant, has issued a renewed warning that Somali pirates are still determined to get out to sea and, if presented with an easy target, will attack. “I am very concerned that seafarers and nations will lower their guard and support for counter piracy operations in...
By Philippa McDonald A new social media campaign has been launched to counter messages of extremism within the Australian Somali community. Religious leaders and youth workers have teamed up with the Community Relations Commission to send a positive message to young people who are struggling with a sense of belonging. Malik Osman, 24, who came...
By Randy Furst Prosecutors sought longest prison sentences for Kamal Said Hassan and Mahamud Said Omar for their roles in the “pipeline” that sent young men to fight in Somalia. Kamal Said Hassan will serve 10 years in prison for his role in the “Minnesota pipeline” that carried young men to Somali to fight in...
By Ian Birrell The International Criminal Court was designed for those monsters accused of the world’s worst crimes, but democracy has some unexpected consequences When the new president of Kenya visited London last week for the summit on Somalia, he held a private meeting with our prime minister. This was unsurprising: the two countries have...
Although the formation of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government is an encouraging first step towards nationwide peace, it should not be assumed that Somalilanders will want to quickly unify. BY EDWARD PAICE In his 2009 book, Somaliland: An African struggle for nationhood and international recognition Iqbal Jhazbhay’s asserts that “Somalia no longer exists”. This claim remains valid to a...