Somalia News Gazette

Mogadishu President of Federal Republic of Somalia H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud sanded his deepest condolences to the former President of Somalia H.E Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on the death of his Mother Mrs. Hasno Abdullahi Isak, today on Thursday.

” I send my deepest condolences to the 7th President of the Federal Republic of Somalia H.E Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and all the relatives of the deceased mother Hasno Abdullahi Isak.” villa Somalia stated

Source: Somali National News Agency

In July 2022, a total of 24,297 movements were observed across five of Ethiopia’s flow monitoring points (FMPs). This represents a 2% decrease in daily average movements in comparison with June 2022 when an average of 802 movements per day were observed.

Outgoing movements during July have continued to be higher (84.1%) than incoming movements (15.9%). A total of 20,429 outgoing movements were observed of which 10,317 (50.5%) were heading towards Saudi Arabia, 3,041 (14.9%) were going to Djibouti, 1,812 (8.9%) were travelling towards Kenya, 1,642 (8%) to Somalia, 889 (4.4%) intended to reach Yemen, 563 (2.8%) headed to the United Arab Emirates, and 482 (2.4%) to South Africa while remaining movements were travelling to several Middle Eastern, European and North American countries.

At the same time, 3,868 incoming movements were observed, of which 1,261 (32.6%) originated from Djibouti, while 949 (24.5%) came from Kenya, 806 (20.8%) from Somalia, 684 (17.7%) movements from Sudan, 152 (3.9%) from Yemen and the remaining from United Republic of Tanzania and South Sudan. Almost all of these were Ethiopian nationals who were likely returning home.

Source: International Organization for Migration

World Vision is responding to the impact of hunger in seven countries in East Africa and requires US$ 181 million to reach 5 million people, including 2.7 million children by April 2023. We have reached more than 8 million people since April 2021.

A deadly mix of conflict, COVID-19 and the climate crisis have pushed more than 11 million people across seven countries in East Africa to the very brink of a hunger crisis. Of critical concern are vulnerable children who are experiencing high levels of malnutrition.

Conflict is the leading driver of hunger globally. Every country where World Vision works in East Africa is either in conflict or neighbouring a country in conflict. The region has also endured substantial climate shocks, undermining people’s ability to feed themselves. The economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current ripple effect from the war in Ukraine is also driving hunger to unprecedented levels.

Humanitarian needs are immense and the impact on children, including safeguarding risks, is enormous. This challenging period could also erode human and economic development gains that have been made towards the global 2030 Sustainable Development Goals across the region.

World Vision is deeply concerned for millions of children in East Africa, who are enduring a devastating hunger crisis. According to FSNWG Drought Special report (July 2022), about 568,000 children were admitted for Severe Acute Malnutrition treatment in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia from January to June. About 6.5 million children are projected to suffer from acute malnutrition, of which close to 1.8 million face severe wasting.

World Vision has reached more than 8 million people, including 4.4 million children, since April 2021. We are already responding with food distributions in multiple countries. World Vision re-declared its multi-country response comprising Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. We aim to reach 5 million people, including 2.7 million children, by April 2023 through the second phase of the response. World Vision has been implementing a multi-country hunger emergency response in the above-mentioned countries for the last 12 months and has been able to repurpose and raise new funds, to the tune of US $ 81 million. However, the needs have insurmountably increased and we require an additional US$ 100 million.

Source: World Vision

There are over 10 million Syrian and Iraqi refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Egypt. UNHCR estimates that 3.4 million people are in need of critical assistance to help them prepare for and cope during the forthcoming winter. This will be the 12th consecutive winter in displacement for some, and many continue to face increased hardships particularly food insecurity, increased cost of living and loss of employment opportunities due to the economic situation and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Jordan for instance, over 36% of Syrian urban refugees have accumulated debt in 2021 compared to just 11% in 2018. In Egypt, a 7.4% year-on-year increase in housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuel costs has been recorded in May.

UNHCR requires USD 250 million to provide life-saving winterization assistance for people in need before the onset of the harsh and challenging winter season. As of September 2022, those requirements are only 0.5% funded as opposed to 56% at this time last year.

UNHCR plans on reaching all 3.4 million people in dire need with winterization assistance. Implementation will be prioritized based on funding received. Most of the planned interventions will be in the form of cash assistance, with a component of winter items to be distributed inside Lebanon and Syria.

Source: UN High Commissioner for Refugees

EU foreign ministers on Wednesday reached a political deal on suspending an EU-Russia visa facilitation agreement.

Speaking at a press conference after an informal meeting of top EU diplomats in the Czech capital Prague, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced that the diplomats greenlighted “full suspension” of the visa agreement with Russia.

The move will “significantly reduce the number of new visas issued by EU member states” to prevent Russians from “traveling for leisure and shopping as if no war was raging in Ukraine,” he stated.

At the same time, the member states will continue to process individual visa claims since “we do not want to cut ourselves (off) from the people who oppose the war in Ukraine, do not want to cut ourselves (off) from the Russian civil society,” Borrell stated.

He also explained that EU member states are allowed to take national measures, such as limiting the number of issued visas or restricting border crossings, as long as they respect EU law.

The top diplomats also invited the European Commission to work on guidelines on how to handle at the EU level the problem of already issued visas that may pose a security threat.

The ministers also agreed not to recognize Russian passports issued in occupied Ukrainian territories, Borrell added.

The political agreement on suspending the visa agreement puts an end to discussions of an EU-wide blanket ban on tourist visas originally proposed by Russia’s smaller Baltic neighbors Estonia, Latvia, and Finland but opposed by Germany and France.

Full suspension of the visa agreement comes after the EU partially halted the deal in February, mainly targeting government officials, diplomats, and businesspeople.

Since the meeting in Prague was informal, the ministers’ political agreement has yet to be turned into a legally binding, official one.

Source: Somali National News Agency

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations continued its 2022 session today, recommending 10 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and deferring action on 78 others, pending their response to additional questions posed by Committee members.

The 19-member Committee considers applications for consultative status and requests for reclassification submitted by non-governmental organizations. Once an application has been reviewed and approved by the Committee, it is considered recommended for consultative status. Organizations which were granted general and special status can attend meetings of the Council and issue statements, while those with general status can also speak during meetings and propose agenda items. Organizations with roster status can only attend meetings.

Action on several applications was postponed because Committee members requested further information from the candidates about, among other items, details of their organizations’ activities, partners, expenditures and sources of funding.

The Committee also held a question-and-answer session, in which the representative of the Comité de Vigilance pour la Démocratie en Tunisie had the opportunity to respond to delegates’ questions in-person.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 1 September, to continue its session.

Source: United Nation

Minister of Commerce and Industry, Hon. Jibril Abdirashid Haji had visited Mogadishu’s Port and Somali Bureau of Standards office (SoBS) today on Thursday, SONNA reported.

The Minister’s visit aims at ensuring efficient & effective operational management which will help to improve trade facilitation & protecting the safety of consumers from harmful & substandard products.

Source: Somali National News Agency

LONDON Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, the remaining contenders in the race to become the next leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister of the UK, faced off against each other Wednesday in the final debate before the winner is announced next week.

The debate was held at Wembley Arena in north-west London and witnessed Sunak and Truss tussle over issues surrounding taxes, energy and the cost of living.

Truss, the foreign secretary and frontrunner of the leadership contest, ruled out offering energy rationing to support struggling families in the coming winter despite a worsening cost of living crisis that has seen inflation skyrocket and wages plummet.

Asked by moderator and radio show host Nick Ferrari whether she would rule out energy rationing, Truss responded by saying: “I do rule that out. Yes.”

On the issue of introducing new windfall tax impositions, Truss said “yes, no new taxes” when asked if she would implement new tax policies as incumbent Boris Johnson did in 2019.

Rishi Sunak, the former chancellor of the exchequer and self-described underdog of the race, took a more cautious approach when it came to addressing the crisis, warning that “we shouldn’t rule anything out.”

“The challenges we face with this crisis are significant. Many European countries are looking at how we can all optimize our energy usage. That is a sensible thing for us to be doing as a country,” Sunak said.

Sunak’s approach is reminiscent of the one taken by the French government after it warned that energy rationing may need to be implemented following Russia’s cutting off of gas supplies in reaction to international sanctions over its war against Ukraine.

Under the UK government’s “worst-case scenario,” businesses and households could face electricity blackouts in the coming winter over growing uncertainty surrounding power supplies.

On Sept. 5, the Conservative Party membership will select a new leader of the party as well as the new prime minister of the UK.

Source: Somali National News Agency