Somalia

Boat accident claims tens of Somali lives

Africa /

At least 22 Somali migrants lost their lives when two boats carrying 70 passengers capsized off the coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The incident, which occurred on an unspecified date, was confirmed by Somali Ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union Abdullahi Warfa. While the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation, the tragic event underscores the perilous journey taken by many Somalis seeking a better life. The Indian Ocean has become a deadly route for migrants, with numerous incidents of boat capsizing and loss of life reported in recent months. Earlier this year, at least 24 people, including women and children, perished after a boat sank off the coast of the Comoros Islands, allegedly due to deliberate capsizing by human traffickers. These recurring tragedies highlight the urgent need for international cooperation to address the root causes of migration and to provide safe and legal pathways for those seeking a better future.

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Somaliland holds presidential election

Africa /

Election workers in Somaliland are counting ballots following Wednesday’s presidential election, the fourth since the region declared independence from Somalia three decades ago. The Somaliland Election Commission reported that the voting process went smoothly without incident. Incumbent President Muse Bihi is seeking a second term, facing challenges from opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi of the Waddani Party and Faisal Ali Warabe of the UCID party. Preliminary results are expected by late Friday, with final tallies to be announced in about a week. The election has been overshadowed by a controversial deal granting Ethiopia access to 20 kilometers of the Gulf of Aden coastline in exchange for recognition. Somalia has condemned the agreement, calling it a violation of its sovereignty, and has sought support from Egypt and Eritrea to counter Ethiopia’s influence. Despite more than 30 years of de facto independence, Somaliland remains unrecognized by any country. Its leaders hope this election will bring the region closer to international recognition.

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Somali cabinet fires army chief, reappoints predecessor

Africa /

Somalia’s cabinet ministers on Saturday dismissed armed forces chief Ibrahim Sheikh Muhyadin Addow, appointing Maj. Gen. Odowaa Yusuf Rageh in his place. The cabinet made the change during an emergency meeting in Mogadishu amid rising political tensions in the Horn of Africa nation. Rageh, who previously served as army chief from 2020 to 2023, led operations against al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab under President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s “all-out war” on the group.  According to the Prime Minister’s office, Rageh’s reappointment aims to “speed up the defense of the country and eliminate the Khawarij groups,” a term the Somali government uses to refer to al-Shabaab terrorists who had been fighting the government and AU peacekeepers since 2007. The reshuffle comes as tensions between Somalia’s federal government and several regional states escalate over an election timetable dispute.  This week, Jubaland announced it had severed ties with the federal government, becoming the second state to do so, following Puntland’s decision in August. Despite opposition from two regional states and former presidents, the Somali presidency recently announced an agreement to hold direct elections in 2025, the first in 56 years, with votes for parliament members and state presidents planned for September of that year.

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Russia-Africa ministerial conference opens in Sochi

Africa /

The first-ever ministerial conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership forum, chaired by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, opened in the city of Sochi on Saturday. The two-day event is taking place at Sirius University, with the participation of foreign ministers from Russia and African states, as well as the leadership of the African Union Commission and major continental integration associations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The business program on the sidelines of the conference features roundtable discussions and panel sessions on key items on the Russian-African agenda, including security, trade and investment, industrialization, technology transfers, agriculture, the development of the mining sector, education, healthcare and epidemiological safety. The ministry said Lavrov held six bilateral meetings with his counterparts from the Central African Republic, Cameroon, Libya, Mali, Rwanda, Sudan, Uganda earlier in the day. Speaking at a meeting with Libyan Foreign Minister Taher al-Baour, Lavrov said the situation in the Middle East is changing fast. “We want to contribute as much as possible to its pacification in the Palestinian territories, in Lebanon, and in Libya,” he added. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, for his part, held talks with his counterparts from Ghana, Sierra Leone and Somalia.

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