By Goth Mohamed Goth

The Minister of Civil Aviation and Air Transport Hon Mahmoud Hashi Abdi and the Minister of public works Hon Abdirizaq Khalif Ahmed jointly presided over a ceremony for the inauguration of 20 new projects at the Egal international airport.

The Aviation Minister briefing the press on the new facilities said, “We have in the past six months worked hard to guarantee and ensure security is at its highest levels in our airports, so we started by deploying two state of the art X-Ray machines to scan passenger luggage’s, Explosive Trace Detection (ETD) and CCTV equipment all around the airport with the aim of enhancing our security capabilities.

“We have managed to deploy two more X-Ray machines to scan passenger luggage’s at the arrival terminal and which will help in the tax collection through identification of cargo disguised as personal belongings, in fact I would like to inform you that this piece of equipment has being able to ID dangerous cargo which had previously passed through undetected at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport which demonstrates this equipment to be very reliable,” he said.

The Aviation Minister also went on to say, “During the last six months we have been able to refurbish, renovate and build extra facilities necessary for the main terminal and same includes enlarged modernizing arrival and departure terminal lounges to cope with the increasing number of passengers using the Egal International Airport, as you can see we have install modern rotating glass doors, the refurbishing of all furniture we added an extra storey for the departure terminal to ease the congestion of passengers and can now accommodate extra 750 persons from the previous number of just 50 persons before President Silanyo came to power and which means 1000 people can be through the departure terminal in less than 1 hour at any given time.

“We have separately built a new structure which will house the machine used to scan and process incoming luggage and another similar structure to be used for checking departing passenger’s luggage as well as new full furnished business center which will cater for all the needs of the passenger and two water foundation meant to thrill passenger’s during their stay and we have added new resting areas to be used by people waiting for their relatives to arrive at the airport.

“We now receiving an ever increasing  number of flights and passengers using the airport facilities since the airport was open compared to one year ago when only 90,000 passengers used the airport ,now we hope the number will rise to 500,000 passengers by next year since we now have longer runways and facilities to accommodate the almost every type aircraft which are commonly used for international or intercontinental travel and now Egal International airports will also serve as hub or places where non-direct or transit flights may land and passengers switch planes”, stated Hon Hashi.

Hon Mahmoud Hashi Abdi speaking during the inspect ion tour said , “When the current government came to power the Egal airport was classed as class2 runaway by ICAO  but now its class 7 runaway and when its finally completed it will be Class 10 runaway.

1- The deployment of a Human body scan machine, ATD and 2 X-Ray machines to check luggage at the main entrance to the airport

2-     Expansion and renovations on the departure terminal

3-      Construction of one top level departure terminal which can accommodate a least 500 extra people

4-    A new building to house x-ray machines meant to scan the luggage of new arrivals

 5-       Rehabilitation of the quarters used to search people before departures

6-       New building to be used by passengers on Transit.

7-      Two new buildings to be used as water reservoirs.

8-      The installation of new Sky-light roofing for all terminals.

9-     Renovation of VIP Area

10-    Newly constructed Lavatories to be used by visitors escorting or waiting for the relatives outside the airport

11-   New boards and signs meant to aid people with directions inside the airport.

12-   Two Backup electrical generators machines installed.  

13-   The introduction of new identification cards for all airport staff

14-   The broadcasting of flights schedules for all incoming and outgoing flights through a loud speaker announcements.

15-   The installation of water tanks and piping system meant to water the Airport gardens.

16-   New terminal seats and offices

17- Free access to internet facilities to be used by passengers while waiting to board their flights

18-    Deployment of hand held VGF Radio communication system to be used by airport staff

19-   New gardens meant to beautify the airport landscape

20- Concrete and security reinforcements at all terminal areas   

By Goth Mohamed Goth

The government of Somaliland has for the first time in 23 years lifted a ban which barred officials from the Somalia federal government to using airports facilities travelling in transit through the country this was announced on Friday by the Minister of Civil Aviation and Air Transport Hon Mahmoud Hashi Abdi.

The Aviation Minister speaking to the Press after the inauguration of several new services at the Egal International Airport said, “Our airports are now rated as international airports and we shouldn’t let political differences interfere neither affect how we run and operate our airports , politician from Somalia should be treated as those from neighboring Ethiopia and Djibouti and we should also treat them with respect and in a dignified way while in transit although such hospitality would not apply to those trying to enter or pass through customs in a bid to stay in the country because current laws don’t allow SFG officials to enter the country.

Hon Mahmoud Hashi Abdi added, “Today several officials from the semi-autonomous region of Puntland today (Friday) including Puntlands Minister of finance were allowed to use our airports for rest while on transit.

On the other hand the Minister of Aviation addressed the issue of local opposition leaders being blocked from using the airport facilities in the past had this to say, “We (current government) were the opposition of yesterday and we know the important role the opposition plays in the country political decision making hence the need to treated the opposition members with respect due although we have had incidences in the past involving the some opposition leader , I say let the by gone be the by gone, I assure all leader in the opposition will be treated in a respectful manner,

SomalilandPress.Com

Posted by Nick Mitchell of The Rangewide Conservation Program for Cheetah and African Wild Dogs in Cat Watch on April 11, 2014

Cheetah cubs rescued from the trade in Somaliland. Only one of the three survived beyond a few days after the photograph was taken. (Photograph by Günther Wirth & Janice Bowdery)

Wildlife trafficking has become one of the major conservation issues of our time and the sinister illegal trade in cheetahs is increasingly coming to the attention of conservationists. Unlike leopards, the main trade in cheetahs is not a consequence of the desire for beautiful spotted skins to decorate the house, nor is it a response to the demand for traditional medicines in Asia, as is often the case with tigers and lions. Instead it belongs to the exotic, wild animal pet trade.

Those words ‘wild animal’ and ‘pet’ already point to one major issue at stake here; wild animals like cheetahs cannot rationally be kept to their dying days, as is sometimes reported, within the confines of someone’s living room. Cheetahs in particular need more space than almost any other terrestrial carnivore, so confinement within a home represents the most unnatural restriction.

More significantly, the species is listed by the IUCN Red List as vulnerable. Its vulnerability to extinction was already clear due to threats including the loss and fragmentation of their habitat, persecution by livestock owners, and reduction in their prey species, so the illegal wildlife trade compounds an existing list of troubles for the cheetah.

The low density at which the species naturally occurs means that the removal of a few individuals from the wild could have serious consequences for the continued existence of local cheetah populations. The Rangewide Conservation Program for Cheetahs and African Wild Dogs (RWCP) fears that large parts of northeast Africa currently targeted for supplying the live trade—places like Somalia, eastern Ethiopia and South Sudan—coincide with areas in which cheetah numbers are already extremely low.

A cheetah cub kept in a living room while awaiting sale in Yemen.
(Photograph by Joe Sheffer)

The Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking (CAWT) publish figures collected by the Cheetah Conservation Fund that show 70 cheetahs were known to have been trafficked or confiscated in transit within a single year. The majority of these are young cubs and in most of the known cases they have died in transit.

Of the 70 known cases, 54 were from Somaliland, and that is a reflection of the strategic location of the area—it facilitates the relatively easy shipment of live cargo to the major market, the Middle East. Yemen, for example, lies less than 40 kilometers across the sea from both Djibouti and Eritrea, and it is increasingly featured in reports of trafficking big cats on to other countries of the region.

What Is Being Done About It?

It’s vital to gain broad international agreement on the significance of the cheetah trade because tackling this menace requires cooperation at, and across, national borders. Ethiopia has led the way (alongside collaborators Uganda and Kenya) in bringing the world’s attention to the issue via CITES—the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Consequently CITES has commissioned a study of the illegal trade in cheetahs that has just been published; this should result in an agreement about the scale of the trade and an understanding of its routes and methods of operation. There is hope that this will enable the regions of greatest concern with support and address some of the legal loop-holes.

Cheetahs rescued by Tanzanian authorities from a private house in the town of Arusha. (Photograph by Rose Mosha)

Efforts at the national scale are also underway. The United Arab Emirates stepped up to the challenge last year with a ruling that prohibits the issuing of permits to import various wild animals, including cheetahs, for personal or commercial use. This is a fantastic step that we hope can be imitated by neighbouring countries.

One current example of efforts led by African governments comes from the Tanzania Carnivore Project of the Tanzanian Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI)—they are collaborating with TRAFFIC to build the capacity of customs officials in detecting and combating the international trade in carnivores.

Really at home, in the wild. Here, a cheetah scans the spacious landscape of the Serengeti. (Photograph by Helen O’Neill)

Several non-governmental organisations are working through different avenues to address this intolerable trade. The Rangewide Conservation Program for Cheetahs and African Wild Dogs is working closely with government authorities across the continent to increase capacity to monitor and fight the trade. Meanwhile the Cheetah Conservation Fund documents and campaigns to raise awareness on the cheetah trade. And in Ethiopia, the Born Free Foundation is working closely with the government to increase the understanding of and adherence to the wildlife trafficking laws while also providing an essential sanctuary to cheetahs confiscated from traders. Other organisations, like the Endangered Wildlife Trust in South Africa, keep traders on their toes by following up on the cases that come to light.

Not to be forgotten is the work of some notable and irrepressible individuals who are willing to go the extra mile to disrupt the trade and provide care for the confiscated wildlife. We are fighting the trade from many angles, but the task is formidable and requires broad collaboration and significant resources.

What You Can Do to Help:

1) Report any cases of cheetahs being traded or being kept in private captivity to either the Rangewide Conservation Program for Cheetahs and African Wild Dogs (RWCP) or to the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF).

2) Contact us to donate directly to the cause of fighting the illegal cheetah trade.

For more information please contact cheetah@wcs.org,”like” us on Facebook under ‘Rangewide Conservation Program for Cheetah and Wild Dog,’ and visit our website at www.cheetahandwilddog.org.

 Source:National Geographic

H.E President Ahmed Mohamed Mahmoud Silanyo

President, Republic of Somaliland

(cc: Mr Abdullahi Mohamed Dahir, Information Minister)

RE: PRESS AND MEDIA FREEDOM IN SOMALILAND: CLOSING DOWN OF HAATUF NEWSPAPER

10 April 2014

Dear President Silanyo,

It is with great concern that I write to you as the Vice-Chair of Somaliland Focus (UK) only four months after our last letter concerning the closure of the Hubaal newspaper.

Since 2005, Somaliland Focus (UK) has been making the case for wider international awareness of Somaliland and its democratic process. We have done this by acting as joint coordinators of the international observers to Somaliland’s elections in 2005, 2010 and 2012, and through our involvement with the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for Somaliland and Somalia. All these years, we’ve been proud to be associated with the achievements of Somaliland.

It is with great disappointment that we now write to you again with regards to the recent raid, closing down and indefinite suspension of the Haatuf newspaper and its sister English-language weekly, Somaliland Times, by the police. This appears to be part of a long series of attacks on media freedom in Somaliland which seems to happen at times when journalists expose cases of corruption against government officials – which are then alleged to be false accusations by the courts without due investigation. We note and support the recent statement by the Somaliland Journalists’ Association (SOLJA) on this matter.

In 2013, we wrote a number of open letters to Somaliland government officials and yourself on the harassment and intimidation of news media members in Somaliland. In particular, we referred to the targeting of the Hubaal newspaper, which saw its office in Hargeisa attacked, its staff imprisoned and released, and publication suspended to this day.

Both incidents call into question the independence of the judiciary as there have been concerns that in both cases due process has not been followed. They are also contrary to the constitution and some of the hard gains Somaliland has made since independence towards establishing democracy.

With the International Press Freedom Day fast approaching on 3^rd May, we urge you to remove the ban on the Haatuf and Hubaal newspapers, stop the imprisonment and harassment of journalists, and conduct a proper investigation into the corruption allegations. These events, and the long chain they are part of, constitute a major breach of the freedom of the press, explicitly protected by law in Somaliland.

A free media and independent judiciary are critical for a thriving and functioning democracy and have a critical role to play in exposing cases of corruption where they may occur.

We can therefore only repeat our earlier points: targeting of the media has a chilling effect on its proper functioning and is likely to lead to ineffective coverage and self-censorship. Actions against media are becoming a regrettable hallmark of Somaliland administrations past and present, and negatively affecting our ability to advocate for Somaliland. We urge that you and other policymakers address this compromising of a vital democratic pillar, which in turn undermines the completion of Somaliland’s transition into the multi-party democracy to which you have committed yourselves. It may also compromise an essential selling point for Somaliland’s international recognition.

Yours faithfully,

Dr Steve Kibble

Vice-Chair, Somaliland Focus (UK)

http://www.somalilandfocus.org.uk/

Twitter: @SomalilandFocus

BY:MOHAMED ABDI DUALE

DUBAI – Somaliland’s Minister of Commerce & International Investment, Mohamed Abdilahi Omar,  is now in the UAE for part delegations partcipate  the Annual Investment Conference, has today (10th April) attend in annual investment meeting in dubai and met with the UAE Minister of Economy, Mr. Sultan Mansouri.

The annual investement meeting has attending to 123 countries around world  part to Republic of somaliland and that has met one issues to support third world countries and enhance about economy to the countries making to enhancing your economy this meeting to good opportunities to Somali countries and somaliland is a only Somali countries came and attend the meeting that victory to part to be confirm to invertors and countries to learning horn of Africa leader of democracy and good peacefull Rep of somaliland.

Minister of commerce&international investment dr:mohamer a/lahi omer has succeed to  take met and dialogue to support of somaliland and invest to  the country minister and delegation accompanied to his trip has met international investors came to conference and  a leader of a countries attend to the  conference a delegation from somaliland led minstrs omer to be  confirm to somaliland opportunities and giving anwers to what is the somaliland give good examples and touching victory existences to the country

This conference has a profit of somaliland  has obtain good opportunies has confirm your opportunities to want support a donors and investors  to be presenting and buying to somaliland opportunities to make investment  to Republic of somaliland and obtaining reality on the ground to the horn Gold republic of somaliland.

Minister of commerce & international investment dr:Mohamed omer and his delegation accompanied his trip to met minister of economic in UAE  During the bilateral meeting, the two Ministers talked about the current to rade between the UAE and Somaliland and areas that need to be developed. They have particularly focused on the possible investment projects that UAE can get involved in Somaliland, particular in the productive sectors such as fishery, hydrocarbons and cements. They also raised the role the UAE can take in helping Somaliland in developing tourism industry.

The two sides also envisaged exchange visits in a bid to streamline their trade relations and the scope for developing a sustainable and inclusive investment.

UAE and Somaliland teams discuss economic cooperationUAE and Somaliland teams discuss economic cooperation

The investment conference has been attended by more 123 countries for part Somaliland and many investors and business companies. Somaliland was one the country that has been invited to attend for the first time because of the interesting investment opportunities it offers and its political stability.

Upon conclusion of the very successful discussion which was followed by sumptuous Emirati Dinner Minister of Commerce & International Investment, Dr Mohamed Abdilahi Omar gifted his UAE counterpart Mr. Sultan Mansouri with a comprehensive an official ministerial book detailing the Somaliland investment policies and opportunities.

Dr Omar presents official Somaliland book on investment policies and opprtunities to UAE economy minister Sultan MansoorDr Omar presents official Somaliland book on investment policies and opprtunities to UAE economy minister Sultan Mansoor

Dr Omar whose country Somaliland is attending the Annual Investment Conference-AIM 2014 a UAE Ministry of Economy organized event for the first time is accompanied by the director general in the ministry of Foreign affairs Mohamed Hasan both of whom , have so far managed to network with the large cadre of ministers of economy from Arab and some select African countries.