IT WAS hardly an auspicious start. The first formal Somali parliament in more than two decades held its inaugural session on August 20th at the airport in Mogadishu, the capital. It was deemed the only safe place, thanks to a contingent of African Union (AU) troops. In attendance were only 211 of the 275 MPs. The rest were disqualified or failed to show up. Even so, the MPs were too numerous to fit into the main hall, so they swore their oaths in the car park (see above). Poorly prepared and overshadowed by security concerns, the day nonetheless marks a fresh start for Somalia. Over the past 12 months it has seen the humbling of the Shabab, a once-dominant extreme Islamist group, a decrease in piracy along the coast and increasing co-operation among local power brokers. The next step in the country’s slow transition away from civil war, helped by the West, is the inauguration of a national government. Some say it will come about through the first poll since 1967. But regardless of the campaign posters promising hope and change that are plastered around the devastated capital, diplomats assume a government will be formed by a process of “selection not election”. To lend some legitimacy to the process, it relies heavily on Somalia’s powerful clan system. Elders from each of the important tribal groups were asked to nominate their own MPs. A vetting procedure was then meant to weed out those with a history of violence or no basic literacy. In practice, the “wise men” were largely chosen by existing leaders of the UN-backed transitional federal government (TFG), which has spent the past eight years stealing aid money while leaving AU peacekeepers to fight the Shabab. Money has also played a role in the selection of new MPs. Parliamentary seats were apparently sold for up to $25,000. The vetting procedure may have been compromised too; those asked to remove warlords from the list found their phones buzzing with death threats. In July a UN report concluded that transitional leaders embezzled seven out of every ten dollars they received. Despite this, most of the old faces from the TFG are in the running for the leadership, including the current president, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed; the prime minister, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali; his predecessor, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo; and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, who is the parliamentary speaker. In a positive sign, outside competitors are able to attack them for their record. Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow, a candidate for president, says that under the TFG’s stewardship Somalia has become a “world champion” in piracy, corruption and terrorism, and set a record as the longest-running failed state. Encouragingly, fewer than a third of the new parliament’s members served in its bloated predecessor. Big donors such as America and Britain are hoping that new faces and a secret ballot will deliver a measure of change. The main question is whether Mr Ahmed, the current president, will manage to hold on to his job. Away from the airport and other secure enclaves, the shattered capital is springing back to life under the watchful eye of AU troops. The private sector is flourishing and money is pouring in from the Somali diaspora. “The only thing Somalis need is security, they can do the rest themselves,” says Mr Farmaajo, the ex-prime minister. For now the clan militias, who for years wrought havoc in Mogadishu, have been behaving themselves. But one or more losers in the presidential ballot could ask supporters to dig up and load buried guns. from the print edition | Middle East and Africa

Yunis;860494 wrote: ^^Interesting kulahaa. Stop posting Qashin... Real source, other then these rubbish HTML based Somali portals thrown out there as the real deal. I agree with you. It is garbage. The following is an editorial published in one of the largest Uganda’s news portal on 21rst August the day after the inauguration of the parliament. Yes, there is a fear that some presidential candidates may incite civil war the minute they realize that they have lost the election. But, after you finish reading, plz click this link http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2258970&Language=en and see the position of the British government as reported today by KUNA, Kuwait News Agency: In summation, the UK government is reiterating its warning that anyone who tries to spoil or delay the end of transition, or deny the Somali people the opportunity for a more representative and legitimate government should be held to account. The Observer (Kampala) EMAIL PRINT SHARE Somalia Must Seize This Great Moment Tagged: East Africa, Governance, Somalia 21 AUGUST 2012 Comment EDITORIAL Monday, August 20, was a historical day in Somalia. It was the day the political life of the Sharif Sheikh Ahmed led Transitional Federal Government (TGF), which has been running the war-torn country over the last couple of years, expired. It was also the day when a new national assembly of 275 members was inaugurated. This assembly, selected by clan leaders, is supposed to usher in a new phase of the transition to normalcy in Somalia by electing a new president. Due to logistical challenges that were not entirely unexpected, the election of a new president was postponed but the democratic process remains on course nevertheless. Somalia has not had a central government since its last leader, Mohammed Siad Barre, was overthrown in 1991. Soon after that, the country degenerated into clan-based ethnic rivalry and has been ungovernable ever since. The relative stability that has allowed this process to even get this far would not have been possible without the contribution of the African Union mission (Amisom), particularly the Ugandan and later Burundian soldiers. Mogadishu was a no-go city until very recently but today dignitaries and airlines and other business from allover the world, are flocking to the Somali capital. Somalis in the Diaspora are also returning home in large numbers to contribute to the development of their country. Understandably, there are fears that the process may not go ahead smoothly. For instance, will those defeated in the elections accept the outcome or resort to disrupting peace? The current renaissance is indeed at risk of imploding yet again if the transition is mismanaged. At this stage the ball is in the court of the Somalis and their leaders. Amisom can only do so much. The Somalis must seize this moment and fix their broken country or live to regret another opportunity lost. Moreover, if this process doesn't deliver the desirable political outcome, the blood of those who have sacrificed for today's relative stability in Somalia, including the Ugandan servicemen who recently died in helicopter crashes around Mount Kenya, will have been in vain.

I have just shot this email to join East African Energy Forum and I hope many of you will join this fight. I am very supportive of your noble initiative to become a springboard for Somali youth to get connected and in a single voice shed light on the persisting and illegal encroachment on the maritime territory of Somali Republic by the Kenyan Government with the help of some giant western oil companies. I urge you to never get tired of this fight and if you succeed in developing a roster of Somali western educated individuals who have Big Pens and Big Mouths and not happy campers in any stretch of the imagination about the theft of their national resources, I believe you will be heroes in Somali social circles (heroism is rare commodity in Somalia right now). I live in Toronto and I am from the older generation but if I can be of any assistance to this noble cause please do not hesitate a second. Please add me in your email list and let me become the privileged ones who receive your achievements and disappointments firsthand. A. B

Dowladda Gaas arrintan wey ka hadashay;;;; Read By CHRISTINE MUNGAI cmungai@ke.nationmedia.com Tuesday, August 21, 2012 Next year’s General Election and a looming dispute over a maritime border with Somalia are causing jitters among oil explorers in the country, tempering the optimism that had been growing in the industry. Tullow’s Ngamia discovery and the potential for oil wealth could emerge as a highly politicised issue in the coming election, said investment analysts at Germany’s Deutsche Bank. Exploration activity is expected to slow down immediately before and in the aftermath of the election slated for March next year. “This may have an impact on plans for drilling in 2013 (both onshore and offshore),” said the analysts in their study. Fresh optimism that Kenya could strike more oil as well as gas has been building over the past few weeks, as companies have heightened uptake of exploration blocks and activity on wells. Last week, US oil exploration firm Apache began drilling works on the Mbawa oil block situated off the Kenyan coast, becoming the second firm to drill an offshore well in the country’s waters after Australia’s Woodside Petroleum. (READ: US firm joins hunt for oil in Kenyan coast) A potential maritime boundary dispute between Kenya and Somalia is looming, however, creating uncertainty over offshore exploration activity. The dispute relates to a long-running row over whether the maritime border should run directly east parallel to the line of latitude — in line with an MoU signed between Kenya and Somalia in 2009 but subsequently rejected by the Somali parliament — or perpendicular to the coastline. The latter would, in theory, give Somalia a large swathe of offshore waters currently licensed by Kenya and affect the blocks owned by Anadarko, Total and Eni. Apache, which owns 50 per cent of the L8 exploration block, is the lead operator of the block and is expected to conduct drilling to a depth of 3,250 metres below the sea surface over the next 60 days. Mbawa sits in the Lamu Basin and has generated considerable interestparticularly after successive gas discoveries off the coast of Tanzania and Mozambique, which share geological characteristics with the Kenyan coast. Apache has identified the Tai prospect as an exploration follow-up if the Mbawa 1 well proves successful. Meanwhile, fresh from its recent oil discovery in Turkana, Tullow Oil is expected to drill three more wells in Kenya in the next four months. Analysts at Jefferies Research Group said in a note that the firm will drill Twiga South and North wells this quarter while it is expected to drill the Paipai well in the fourth quarter of the year. A recent survey by Deloitte showed investors are optimistic regarding regional growth fundamentals, and could decide to overlook risks associated with Kenya’s upcoming polls, high inflation across the region, persistent infrastructure deficits, continued currency pressure and economic turmoil in European export markets, the lifeline of the East African Community’s international trade. Deutsche Bank said the desire in the industry, at least based on conversations it held with executives in the exploration business, will be for “an unambiguous election result and a smooth transfer of power to the next president.” Executives expressed fears that were instability to occur, it would be more likely to have an impact on onshore rather than offshore operations. Nairobi and the South Rift region were the flashpoints after the 2007 election, but most exploration activity on the mainland is concentrated in the North Rift, including the Ngamia-1 well, which has produced the best results so far, lessening the chances of a major impact. “The Ngamia discovery, and the potential for oil wealth has been a major story in Kenya and could play a prominent role in the election,” states the report. Back to the Somalia and Kenya maritime dispute, executives are banking on projections that Eni and Total’s ultra-deep water blocks may not see any drilling until 2014. The blocks are among seven recently awarded by Kenya, three of them to Eni and one to Total. Last month, Somalia’s government accused Kenya of awarding offshore oil and gas exploration blocks illegally to France’s Total and Italy’s Eni because the blocks lie in waters claimed by Somalia. Speaking to Reuters earlier this month, Somali Deputy Energy minister Abdullahi Dool said contracts awarded for four blocks in deep waters were invalid and the government planned to complain to the United Nations, which oversees maritime border laws.“We are concerned about the lease of blocks,” Mr Dool told Reuters. “I am sure we will lodge complaints.” But Kenya rejected the accusation that ownership of the blocks was contested, and said there was no need to hold up exploration. Border disputes over oil exploration are heating up as the region becomes the new frontier in oil and gas — Malawian President Joyce Banda is expected to meet her Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Kikwete over the weekend to discuss a dispute over Lake Malawi, where a British-based company is exploring for oil. The border dispute erupted after Malawi last year issued a licence to British firm Surestream Petroleum to prospect for hydrocarbons in Lake Malawi in an area covering 20,000 square kilometres But Tanzania says the exploration has extended into what it claims is its half of the lake and wants exploration halted until ownership of the water Haddii aad rabti in aad dagaaalka qalinka ka qeyqaadato taageer dhalinyaradda is xilsaartey, apply membership at http://www.eaenergyforum.org/people.html, see articles in my post Say bye bye to..... Abdillahi Mohamud Managing Director abdillahi@eaenergyforum.org Said Mohamed Public Relations Director said@eaenergyforum.org

^^^^^^^^Nobody will get assassinated in the second round, my friend, cus ciiddankii xoogga dalka haad baa cunnay...

You are off the cliff guys. It is a continuation of 1969!!!!. Abdiweli is the President and Carab is the PM.

20 August 2012 Mr. Paolo Scaroni CEO of Eni, Claudio Descalzi, Gianni Di Giovanni, Erika Mandraffino, Roberto Albini, Antonio Cristodoro et al; It has come to our attention Eni has purchased the rights to explore offshore hydrocarbon blocks L21, L23 and L24 from the Republic of Kenya. These hydrocarbon blocks are situated within Somali waters under international law. The East African Energy Forum hereby orders the annulment of these agreement(s) with the Kenyan government. We understand Eni is interested in exploring these blocks displaying your interest in the region’s hydrocarbon potential. However, the agreement between you and Kenya violates international, Somali and Kenyan law hence their requirement of obtaining a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) from Somalia. This MOU was rejected by The Federal Parliament of Somalia and by UN Security Council Resolution 1851. The maritime border between Kenya and Somalia is long established and is declared in Kenyan, Somali and UN legislation as being perpendicular to the coast, not latitudinal and parallel to the equator as Kenya claims. Our legal counsels are currently preparing for legal action against the Republic of Kenya and are confident that Kenya’s claim will be rejected at the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany. Your company will be included in the court filings as complicit in the territorial infringement of Somali waters and any resulting court ordered compensation. The East African Energy Forum’s mandate to pursue legal action is sanctioned by its international partners and the Government of Somalia. Your continued illegal exploration in Somali waters will damage your relationship with Somalia, a country with tremendous hydrocarbon potential. In addition to legal action, Eni and its subsidiaries hereby shall be excluded from future commercial and non-commercial Somali contracts, should this warning be disregarded, not responded to, or unheeded. The East African Energy Forum will not pursue legal action against your company as long as it is engaged in a dialogue with us for clarification, consultation and/or negotiation on the matters mentioned in this letter. If either of these is not in progress within fourteen days of the date of this letter, legal action will commence. Contact information is provided below. Abdillahi Mohamud Managing Director abdillahi@eaenergyforum.org Said Mohamed Public Relations Director said@eaenergyforum.org

International Oil Companies Illegally Exploiting Somali Hydrocarbons? By. Abdillahi Mohamud Benefit From the Latest Energy Trends and Investment Opportunities before the mainstream media and investing public are aware they even exist. The Free Oilprice.com Energy Intelligence Report gives you this and much more. Click here to find out more. The East African Energy Forum has issued warnings to the Kenyan Government and four international oil companies today that are illegally exploiting offshore hydrocarbon concessions off the southern coast of Somalia. The lobby group has said in its directive to the oil giants that they have engaged in a gross infringement of Somalia's offshore resources, territorial integrity and sovereignty. "These offshore oil blocks are solely owned by the Republic of Somalia as stipulated in the 1982 UN Common Law on the Sea (UNCLOS). Kenya's move to sell these oil blocks violates international law" says Abdillahi Mohamud, the lobby's managing director. He states that the oil blocks sold by Kenya in Somali waters are L21, L23, L24 purchased by Italy's Eni, L22 by France's Total S.A., L5 by USA's Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Block L26 by Norway's Statoil. The lobby group warned these companies risk being shut out of future Somali energy concessions which are estimated to hold large untapped reserves along with what he described as 'legal action' the group's lawyers would pursue. "They should deal directly with Somalia, appropriating these blocks from the rightful owner is not in the interest of these otherwise innovative and successful oil companies." The lobby group has stated it is planning legal action against Kenya and the oil companies. "We are not asking for compliance on a matter of dispute, this isn't a dispute, it's a violation of Somalia's international boundaries established by an international law of which Kenya is a signatory. We will file court proceedings against those involved in the coming weeks at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany." He continues on saying it is in Kenya and the oil company's best interest to cease allocating offshore blocks that rightfully belong to Somalia. "We will continue to take the matter to the highest courts, any attempt at illegally exploiting Somalia's energy resources will be met with full opposition from us and our partners." The lobby group has noted the total area of Somali offshore territory that is being illegally sold by Kenya and purchased by the four oil companies is approximately 116,000 square kilometers, an area about the size of Greece. By. Abdillahi Mohamud : abdillahi@eaenergyforum.org Source: http://oilprice.com

Ambasador Diinaari” Waa in la joojiyaa shidaal qodista dowlada Kenya ka wado dhul badeedka Somalia Safiirka oo arintasi sii ambaqaadayay waxa uu sheegay in lakabayada biyaha (Block) L21,L23,L24 oo ay Kenya u ogolaatay shirkad Talyaani ah oo la yiraado ENI iyadoo L22 ay Kenya Licens u siisay shirkad Fansis ah oo la yiraado Total SA ,halka Block L5 iyo Block L26 ay ka kala baarayaan shidaal shirkadaha Mareykanka ee Anadarko Petroluem Cooperation iyo Norway State Oil oo laga leeyahay Dalka Norway. Ambassador Abdiraxmaan Diinaari wuxuu intaa ku daray in ay socoto Howl lagu baarayo Shidaal oo ujeedada laga leeyahay ay tahay in la hirgaliyo inta aanay iman Dowladd Soomaaliyeed oo la filaayo iney Dhalato Bishan Ogosto,wuxuuna safiir ugu Baaqay Madaxweynaha iyo Baarlamaanka cusub ee Soomaaliya iney u howlgalaan joojinta Baarista iyo soo saarida Shidaalka ku jira Xeebaha Soomaaliya ee ku yaala Xadka ay Soomaaliya wadaagaan Kenya,isagoo xusuusiyay in ay masuuliyad weyn ay ka saran tahay Ilaalinta Hantida Qaranka. Safiirka wuxuu Shirkaddaha Reer Galbeedka ee sida sharcidarada ah uga baaraya amo ka soo saaraya Shidaalka Xeebaha Soomaaliya ugu baaqay iney ka waantoobaan falkaasi oo ay ilaaliyaan sumcadooda, haddii ay doonayaan iney Shidaal ka baaraan Xeebaha Soomaaliyeed ay la soo xiriiraan Dowladda Soomaaliyeed oo iyadu xaq u leh bixinta Sharciga Baarista iyo Qodista shidaalka ee Soomaaliya,isagoo hoosta ka xariiqay in Shirkaddii u hogaasami weyday Mustaqbalka aanay xaq u heli doonin iney Soomaaliya ay Baaris iyo Qodis. Ugu Dambeyntii Ambassador Diinaari wuxuu Amaan iyo Boogaadin u diray Hay’adda The East African Energy Forum oo Kenya iyo Shirikadaha reer galbeedka uga digay iney si sharci daro ay Baaris iyo Qodaalba uga sameeyaan Xeebaha Soomaaliya ee k u yaala Xadka ay wadaagaan Soomaaliya iyo Kenya. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Xafiiska Warqabadka Dayniile.com

Bloomberg News Somali PM to Focus on Economy to Rebuild Nation, End Piracy Somalia’s new government will focus on the economy as it seeks to rebuild a nation shattered by two decades of war, Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said. The country is in the final stages of selecting a two-tier parliament, Ali, who is a candidate to become president, said in an interview in Mogadishu, the capital, on Aug. 16. Lawmakers are scheduled to vote in a new president today, though the process may be delayed because the vetting of parliamentarians has taken longer than expected, he said. The elections are Somalia’s latest attempt to establish a functional central administration that collapsed when the former dictator Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted in 1991. The country has been mired in clan-based conflict and an insurgency led by al- Qaeda-linked militants ever since. The lack of security has allowed piracy and hostage-taking to flourish, fueled by criminals seeking ransoms. Attacks by pirates in 2011 cost the shipping industry and governments $6.9 billion, according to the Colorado-based One Earth Future Foundation. “There’s a great deal of unemployment here, that’s why the youth are taking their luck to the high seas,” Ali said. “We need a paradigm shift, a new way of thinking, and a sound, tangible plan for competing in the global market place in the near future.” Foreign Investors Somalia has a $5.9 billion economy, according to the U.S. State Department. That compares with neighboring Kenya’s $32 billion economy, the region’s largest. Investors in Somalia include Africa Oil Corp. (AOI), based in Vancouver, and partners Red Emperor Resources NL (RMP) of Australia and Texas-based Range Resources Corp. (RRC), which said in March they will invest $50 million drilling two wells in Puntland, a semi-autonomous northern region of the country. Others vying for the presidency include the incumbent, President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, and parliament Speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden. The winner faces challenges including tackling corruption, restoring security and reviving a moribund economy. A United Nations report published in July says graft, fraud, and theft of public resources have “become a system of governance” in Somalia and that revenue intended for development has gone missing, including $131 million in 2009-10. Remittances from overseas workers of about $1 billion a year are its main source of revenue, according to the World Bank. Regional Pressure Under a so-called road map agreed upon by Somali leaders last year, the transitional federal government’s mandate from the UN was extended for 12 months to today to prepare for a new administration. Sheikh Sharif’s government, the 15th attempt to stabilize the country, has failed to end conflict, though security has improved as African Union and government soldiers weakened the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabaab militia through counter- insurgency operations. Al-Shabaab, which has waged a five-year rebellion to overthrow the government, withdrew from Mogadishu last August and a series of other towns and cities since then. The group still controls swathes of southern and central Somalia and international observers including the UN have warned that warlords may exploit a power vacuum in newly captured areas. “The transitional government has been propped up by finances from donors abroad, and now is the chance to see if it can stand on its own feet, provide services to the rest of the country, and fill the vacuum from the movement of al-Shaabab from the rest of the country,” Ahmed Soliman, a Horn of Africa researcher with Chatham House, said in a phone interview from London on Aug. 15. “That is the real challenge, and that starts with the next president and parliament.” ‘Careful Planning’ Ali, a Somali-American economist with a master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University and a PhD in economics from George Mason University, said those challenges would be met by “careful planning, adherence to good governance procedures along with support from our international partners.” “The new federal government will claim its rightful place amongst the nations of the world, make bilateral agreements and have access to the international markets,” Ali said. The U.S., African Union and UN this month voiced concern over reports of intimidation and corruption in the process of Somalia leaders selecting a 275-member parliament and 54 senators. Somalia’s neighbors, concerned that the continuing conflict poses a threat to regional stability, are also keeping up pressure on its leaders to end the transition and warned that attempts to disrupt the process will result in sanctions on individuals. ‘Clear Message’ “We wish to send a clear message to all those intent on derailing, undermining or manipulating the road map towards a permanent political settlement after August 2012 that Kenya will not tolerate such actions,” Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said in an e-mailed statement on Aug. 17. A committee overseeing the selection of Somalia’s new parliament has vetted the the “vast majority of the lawmakers, and they could being working as early as today, the United Nations Political Office for Somalia said in an e-mailed statement yesterday. The statement was endorsed by foreign observers including the African Union, European Union, the U.K. and the U.S. To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah McGregor in Nairobi at smcgregor5@bloomberg.net

Reponse to the OpEd page of Daily Monitor, a Ugandan daily----16 Aug. 2012 To give a helping hand to an African sister country stuck in an undesirable situation is a tradition set by one of the greatest leaders produced by Africa. The late Tanzanian leader honourable Julius Nyerere spearheaded thousands of Tanzanian military personnel, and without the aid of superpowers, to liberate the Ugandan people from the claws of Dictator Idi Amin in a war that lasted from 1978 to 1979. What the Ugandan people headed by His Excellence President Yoweri Museveni are doing in Somalia is an African duty that should have been done long time ago. Somali nationalists like me should congratulate the Ugandan people and the people of other African countries that are contributing military forces to drive Alshabab/Alqa’ida from Somalia for a job well done. There is no point of return at this time since we are at the end of this horrible episode. Mogadishu and substantially large portion of southern Somalia are liberated. Presidential election is taking place on this coming Monday. The only thing left, IMO, is that the liberators to make sure that country is in good, educated and clean hands. PM Abdiweli is an excellent choice.

Thursday August 16, 2012 Africa Oil CorpTSXV/AlphaV:AOI $8.89 0.14 (1.60%) UP HORN PETROLEUM CORPORATION (HRN.V) -TSXV $0.63 0.02(3.28%) Range Resources Ltd. (RRS.AX) -ASX $0.0740 0.00(0.00%)

High Risk vs. High Reward: Oil in Somalia Tuesday July 24, 2012, 4:15am PDT By Adam Currie - Exclusive to Oil Investing News Share on linkedin_counter Email As the price of oil continues to trade at high levels, more and more explorers are expanding their geographical focus in the hope of discovering the perfect oil play [Off course Somalia's riches are in the pipeline]. Companies are having to push beyond the traditional boundaries of oil safe havens and expand their efforts into uncharted territory. Nowhere is this more evident than the surge of interest in the East African country of Somalia.[Do not doubt; come to Somalia] History In the 1860s, at the height of the colonial era, France acquired a foothold on the African east coast for what was later to become known as Somalia, or “the Horn of Africa.” A decade later, Britain proclaimed Somaliland a protectorate until 1888 when an Anglo-French agreement defined the boundary between Btritish and French possessions. Further European presence was felt in 1889 when central Somalia was set up as an Italian protectorate. The largely divided country gradually obtained independence from protectorates between 1950-1960, while a section of the country, Somaliland, declared unilateral independence in 1991, remaining a functioning, but unrecognized, independent republic ever since [Only three cities have isolated themselves from the rest of the sovereign Somalia]. Economic and geopolitical conditions From a political aspect, Somalia is the very epitome of unsettled. Since the fall of Somalia’s pro-US president, Mohamad Siad Barre, in 1991, the country has been in a state of civil disorder. As a result of the absence of a central authority, tribal conflicts and a resurgent military has dominated the politics of the country.[Normality will be coming back in a short span of time. After Somalia’s independence in 1960, economic growth failed to keep pace with the rise in population caused by an influx of refugees, resulting in a heavy dependence on agriculture — which is frequently affected by droughts. The country’s largest industry is processing of agricultural food products and there has been minimal industrial development. Except for tin, the country’s minerals remain under-developed, although there has been increasing interest by international companies seeking to prospect for oil. Somalia’s political situation makes the area high-risk from an investment perspective, while on the other hand unexplored reserves could result in high reward if previous reserve estimations are proven accurate. [Fact, oil companies such Ranges Resources and African Oils Copr. have their presences in Puntland since 2002. Since that time and up to now no single hair of theirs has got hurt; they have the full protection and cooperation of the local communities] Historical and potential exploration initiatives WT Blanford of the Geological Survey of India wrote the earliest geological report of Somalia as far back as 1870. Since that time there have been a number of hydrocarbon studies focused on oil and gas potential. Pro-US policy between the 1950′s and early 1990′s saw companies such as ConocoPhilips (NYSE:COP) and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) obtain the rights to explore Somalia in three major phases. In the early 1990’s Conoco stated that it had made “very good oil shows” — industry terminology for an exploration phase that often precedes a major discovery — however, a bloody civil war put an end to activities in the area. [American companies especially ConocoPhilips abandoned their concessions force majeure during the civil war.] While the area is deemed high-risk, there is a high probability of large-scale oil plays. According to a 1991 World Bank study, “the geological parameters” are “conducive to the generation, expulsion and trapping of significant amounts of oil and gas.” Possible drawbacks Somalia’s geostrategic location and proximity to waters surrounding the Horn of Africa make the region a prime location for oil import and export. With no public infrastructure to speak of and large-scale transportation almost nonexistent, the country is far off from being able to take advantage of its hydrocarbon resources. However, some believe that with the confirmation of large-scale oil and gas plays, this could change. For this to take place, politicians and tribal leaders will need to show pragmatism and work together on a national level, as opposed to a tribal level. [The mostly populated, currently most dynamic, markets in the globe are not far off from the north-eastern most point in Somalia, China and India] International mediation may be necessary as Kenya and Somalia are in disagreement over the location of their boundary line in the Indian Ocean. This line will dictate rights for exploration, as well as royalties earned, from any offshore discoveries. [The Somali Economic Zone is adamantly unchangeable] From an infrastructure standpoint, many will be hesitant to invest in the region until it has established a legal framework to determine oil revenue-sharing procedures, and reduce the likelihood of corrupt practices by officials. Exploration Opportunities Horn Petroleum Corporation (TSXV:HRN) is a Canadian oil and gas company with assets in Puntland, Somalia. It holds a 60 percent interest in the Dharoor and Nugaal blocks encompassing a Jurassic Rift Basin. The company’s plays represents a high risk vs. high reward scenario in that it offers the opportunity to explore in a virtually untouched major oil system, with two large blocks in the Nugaal and Darin Mesozoic basins — extensions of the multi-billion barrel Marib-Shabwa and Sayun-Masila Basins of Yemen. Horn’s management structure has a superb track record in creating shareholder value (two previous companies acquired as penny stocks having been sold at valuations of over $30 per share). A drilling campaign on the project is also already underway. African-focused Ophir Energy plc (LSE:OPHR) has oil and gas exploration assets in a number of African locations including the Berbera block in Somiland. Ophir and UAE-based Ras Al Khaimah Gas Company (RAKgas) are currently participating in the Berbera Production Sharing Agreement (Berbera PSA). Only three wells have been drilled in the original Berbera Block, two of which were located offshore. The third well, the only onshore well in the block, was a 243-meter-deep stratigraphic well. Three wells, drilled adjacent to the western edge of the block, have all encountered good oil shows. Ophir’s current strategy is to focus upon early stage exploration projects in frontier basins and “neglected” parts of proven basins, as well as mature projects with proven or probable reserves. The company enjoys a depth of contacts and relationships with governments and oil and gas industry participants throughout Africa – a major advantage when working on African projects. Red Emperor Resources (ASX:RMP) holds a 20 percent working interest in two licenses encompassing the highly prospective Dharoor and Nugaal valleys. These two exploration areas have been independently assessed to potentially contain over 19.9 billion barrels of oil in-place. The company’s Shabeel North well is currently being drilled and targeting Upper Cretaceous Jesomma sands, which had positive oil and gas shows in the Shabeel 1 well located slightly to the south. Petrophysical analysis of downhole electrical logs in the Shabeel -1 well indicated a potential pay zone of up to 12 to 20 meters with an average porosity of 18 to 20 percent. Red Emperor has Production Sharing Agreements (PSA’s) along with Horn Petroleum and Range Resources Limited (ASX: RRS). Securities Disclosure: I, Adam Currie, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this articl

African Oil Corp. shares were up today (13 August) $0.23 closing at $8.30, a substantial increase of 2.85%. All its competitors' shares were down except China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., which was up for a mere 0.87%. Why? Note, it has been for almost 18 days since the company has released news. AOC owns 45% equity interest in Horn Petroleum Corporation which itself holds a 60% interest and operatorship in the Dharoor and Nugaal blocks. اللهم اجعله خيرا

Waa maxay dadkiina aan gaajada sii macasalaameyneen!!!

The “impartial” journalist and the real Warlord, the river-Shabeelle-wate-seller! A doomed first impression for Yusuf Garad in his first political dress-ups!!!! Yac….

Somalis, for the good of Somalia, must remove Shariif and his ilk’s from public offices for good. Before today and before I listened to a press conference he held jointly with the so-called Interior and Security Minster, whenever he made a political gaffe of some sort, I gave him the benefit of doubt. But not today!! In his presence and on an open mic to the world, the Minster described a group of Somali nationals residing in a camp at one of Mogadishu surrounding areas for internally displaced people as “Refugees” “Qaxooti”. The conference was held in Villa Somalia, the president’s residence. The issue was yesterday’s confrontation between the supporters of Farmaajo and the supporters of Sh. Shariif near the Villa where lives were lost. Instead of ordering a full investigation and the capture of the killers, both men belittled the victims and the supporters of Faemaaji as low lives of not more than 20 persons transgressing from refugees camps in Mogadishu. :mad::mad: Who the hell do Sh. Sharif and the Minister think they are? Mogadishu is the capital of Somalia! Can you really trust these people have what one needs to have to comprehend the meaning of sovereignty and the duties of the heads of national institutions??:(

ElPunto;856208 wrote: This forum is not dhagacas incorporated barring a few misguided souls. Please provide either a Somali or English translation. Soomaali far la galiyey oo aan carabi akhrikarin waa musiibo; for you the title should be enough....

الصومال نحو وداع المجاعة! اكتشاف ثروات نفطيّة في «بونت لاند» يثير الآمال هل يُنهي النفط الصومالي المجاعة أم يفاقمها؟ (طوني كارومبا ــ أ ف ب) بات بإمكان الصوماليين تنفُّس الصعداء، أو على الأقل التفاؤل بالخير، فقد بدأت المساعي الجدية لاستخراج النفط من بلادهم، علّ عائداته تعود لمصلحتهم، وليس لصناديق الشركات الأجنبية وحسابات حكامهم فحسب. النفط موجود بالفعل في الصومال، وسيبدأ العمل لاستخراجه من إقليم «بونت لاند» الشمالي، أولاً قبل التوسع جنوباً. في غضون 90 يوماً، قد يبدأ الصومال بإنتاج 300 مليون برميل من «النفط الأسود». نبأ سارّ لكونه قد يؤدي إلى إنهاء مأساة المجاعة والحرب الأهلية والموت عطشاً، لكنه أيضاً يثير مخاوف من أن يفاقم المشاكل بدل حلّها، إذا ما بات وجود النفط في الصومال مادة تثير المصالح الغربية وتفاقم النزاعات الأهلية علي عبدي حوشو مقديشو | أعلنت شركة «هورن بتروليوم» الكندية بدء عملية حفر الآبار النفطية في مناطق تابعة لحكومة إقليم «بونت لاند» الصومالي، لذلك، تستعد الشركة حالياً لحفر البئر «شبيل 1» (النمر الأول) بعمق 3800 متر، بعد إنجاز حفرة تجريبية وصل عمقها إلى 50 متراً. وتستخدم الشركة في عمليات الحفر للآبار النفطية جهاز «سكسون 501» الذي سيؤدي دوراً مميزاً في إتمام الحلم الصومالي في مدة أقصاها 90 يوماً في منطقة وادي «طرور» من إقليم «الشرق». وبعد نجاح العملية، سينتقل الجهاز إلى حفر بئرين أخريين في وادي «نوغال» من محافظة «نوغال». ولم تحفر في الصومال آبار نفطية منذ 20 عاماً، عاشت البلاد خلالها أزمة كبيرة أدت إلى إسقاط الحكومة المركزية عام 1991، ومنعت الشركات الأجنبية خلالها من استخراج النفط والمعادن لأسباب تتعلق بشروط الشركات حيال العقود النفطية. وتقع البئر «شبيل 1» وعدة آبار قريبة منها، في منطقة «طرور» الشمالية. وتعمل البئر في نظام صدع العمر الجوراسي الذي هو جزء من نفس النظام الذي استخرج منه النفط في حوضي «المسيلة» و«شبوة» في اليمن، وهو الذي يحتوي على نحو 6 مليارات برميل من النفط. ويقدَّر أنه يوجد في بئر «شبيل 1» أكثر من 300 مليون برميل من النفط القابل للاستخراج، علماً أن وجود الصخور الجوراسية الغنية في عمق البئر، يخفف من التقديرات النفطية الموجودة فيا، بما أن الدراسات تفيد بأن الحجر الرملي الموجود في هذه الأراضي الصومالية وخزانات الكربونات وأنظمة الطبقات السفلى الجوراسية والطباشيرية، مشابهة لتلك الموجودة في اليمن. وقال رئيس المجلس التنفيذي لشركة «هورن بتروليوم»، دايفيد غريلمان، إنّ بدء عمليات الحفر في وادي «طرور» سيكون معلماً رئيسياً في تقدير إمكانيات وجود النفط في شمال الصومال. وتابع «لدينا دعم قوي جداً من حكومة إقليم بونت لاند ومن المجتمع المحلي، وجميعهم حريصون على رؤية استئناف التنمية في مناطقهم بعد فترات طويلة من الصراع الداخلي». وأشار إلى أن هذه الآبار هي الأولى التي يتم حفرها في المناطق العميقة في أحواض الصدع، وسيكون لها دور رئيسي في تفجير الطاقات الهيدروكربونية التي لم تستكشف بعد. بدورها، لفتت الناشطة الاجتماعية في مدينة «جرووي»، عاصمة سلطات «بونت لاند»، زهرة إسحاق، إلى أن استخراج النفط في مناطق شمال شرق البلاد سيكون نعمة ورفاهية لصالح جميع أبناء الشعب الصومالي. وتذكّر إسحاق بأن سبع قبائل توحّدت بعد استخراج النفط، وحُلّت جميع المشاكل العالقة في ما بينها، «لذلك نريد أن نخطو نحو هذا الاتجاه لنتوحّد من جديد». ووقعت حكومة إقليم «بونت لاند» الصومالية، مع شركة «هورن بتروليوم» الكندية والشركات المتعاونة معها، صفقة تمنحها حصة 51 في المئة من الانتاج في مقابل عملية التنقيب، رغم معارضة بعض النواب من البرلمان الانتقالي الصومالي للاتفاقية لأنها تعطي نسبة أكبر للشركات، فيما يصرّ نواب آخرون على وقف عملية التنقيب إلى حين عودة الاستقرار لجميع أرجاء البلاد. ودار خلاف سياسي ودستوري بين الحكومة الانتقالية الصومالية وحكومة إقليم «بونت لاند» عام 2006، بعد إبرام الأخيرة عقوداً سرية مع شركات لم توافق الحكومة المركزية عليها، علما أن قانون النفط الصومالي ينص على أنه يحق لكل حكومة إقليمية معترف بها لدى الحكومة المركزية في مقديشو، استخراج نفطها ومعادنها، وذلك بشرط موافقة البرلمان الصومالي على العقود المبرمة، وتقسيم المحصول إلى قسمين، قسم للسلطة المركزية، وقسم آخر للسلطة الإقليمية. وأوضح رئيس حكومة إقليم «بونت لاند»، عبد الرحمن محمد محمود فرولي، أن رئيس الوزراء الصومالي عبد الولي محمد، وافق رسمياً على بدء عملية التنقيب النفطي في «بونت لاند»، ووقع في سبيل ذلك على مذكرة قبل أسبوعين في مدينة «بوصاصو» بمحافظة الشرق. وأشار إلى أن مستقبل الصومال يُظهر في الأفق ملامح انفراج لأزمة المجاعة والأمراض المعدية والحروب الأهلية. وقال فرولي، خلال افتتاح مشروع التنقيب، إن «فوائد حقول النفط في بونت لاند لن تكون محصورة بسكانه، بل إنها ستكفل التنمية والازدهار لكل البلد، ولن يكون سبباً لصراع اقتصادي بين المحافظات والقبائل الصومالية». وفي السياق، توقعت وزارة النفط والطاقة والمعادن والمياه في حكومة «بونت لاند» أن يشهد الإقليم في الشهور القليلة المقبلة، اكتشاف المزيد من حقول النفط الجديدة. وكشفت الوزارة عن جهود مبذولة للتوسُّع في عمليات الاستكشاف النفطي، إلى جانب بناء مصانع مصفاة لزيادة الطاقة الإنتاجية النفطية. وبالفعل، بدأت عمليات التنقيب بعد توقيع اتفاقية مع «هورن بتروليوم» الكندية، وذلك بعد إجراء المسح الجيولوجي والجيوفيزيائي في مناطق مختلفة من مناطق شمال شرق البلاد. أما وزير النفط والمعادن والطاقة والمياه للحكومة الانتقالية الصومالية عبد القادر طيمبل، فطمأن إلى أن الحكومة المركزية ستتسلم نصف المحصول النفطي لكل إقليم يتمتع بحكم ذاتي، وذلك بموجب ما ينص عليه قانون النفط الذي وافقه البرلمان الانتقالي عليه عام 2007. واستعداداً للخوض في مجال استخراج النفط في الشمال، أكّد ضابط صومالي رفيع المستوى، رفض الكشف عن هويته، أنّ قوات عسكرية واستخبارية تابعة لسلطات إقليم «بونت لاند»، اتخذت إجراءات أمنية كافية لتشديد الرقابة على جميع المنافذ البرية لمنطقتي وادي «طرور» و«نوغال» لصدّ أي هجمات إرهابية أو قبلية محتملة. http://www.al-akhbar.com/node/32787

Mooge;855642 wrote: Kenya to support establishment of Somali stock exchange The Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) signed a memorandum of understanding with the Somalia Stock Exchange Investment Corporation (SSE) on Wednesday (August 8th) to establish a Somali stock market, Business Daily Africa reported. "SSE shall be responsible for the implementation of the project and its subsequent operation. The NSE shall have primary responsibility for the technical development of the project," the NSE said in a statement. Donald Ouma, NSE head of marketing and product developemnt, said the agreement will help attract investments by the large Somali community in Kenya. The NSE and the SSE "will explore the location of the exchange, development of human capital, the trading mechanism, and the development of shariah products and services. It makes sense to explore business opportunities as the situation in Somalia stabilises," Ouma said. Kenya has assisted other countries in establishing stock markets, including Rwanda and Burundi. Somalia should not rush to establish stock exchange untill the Somali Central Bank is fully operational.

xiinfaniin;855030 wrote: Gaadhaye is the enforcer of female quota I wish I were the enforcer of the newly sanctioned federal constitution. I would have made it a real lightning rod of change. :rolleyes:

'Liibaan';855010 wrote: RealTaleex.com http://www.realtaleex.com/2012/08/06/beesha-******-oo-magacaabay-xubnaha-ugu-mid-noqdaya-barlamaanka-somaliya/ Beelaha Jubaland/Azania ayaa waxay heleen 13 xubnood oo uga mid noqdo barlamaanka Cusub ee Somaliya yeelan doonta, iyadoo warar ay sheegayaan in beelahan ay gudbiyeen xubnihiin uga mid noqon lahaan Barlamaanka. Inkastoo ay jiraan doodo ka dhashay magacaabista xubnaha qaar ayaa haddana inta badan dadka beelaha Jubaland waxa ay sheegeen inay ku qanacsan yihiin sida loo magacaabay Xubnahan. Magacyada xubnaha beelaha Jubaland uga mid noqonayo Barlamanka soosocdo waxaa kamid ah: 1- Professor Maxamed Cabdi Gaandhi. 2- Cabdi Rashiid Xidig 3- Maxamed Axmed Cumar Jees. 4- Axmed Maxamed Islam (Axmed Madoobe). 5- Cabdi Maxamed Tarax. 6- Bare Ugaas Geedi 7- C/wahaab Ugaas Xuseen 8- Maxamed Ismaaciil 9- General Muuse Xasan 10- Faadumo Ciise Ali 11- Xiiroow Iidle 12- In Jaamac Caamir. 13- Cabdi Moowliid Ugu danbayntii ayaa waxaa lagasoo xigtay gudiga farsamada Xildhibaanada cusub inay soo gudbeen in ku dhow 70% inta kalena la filayo onay soo gudbaan ilaa beri oo ah Talaadada hadii ilaahay dimo. Should be rejected. Consitution demands 30% of any group of MPs should be females. They need to replace three males for 3 females. 13X30%=4

'Liibaan';854977 wrote: Golaha Garaadada/Madax Dhaqameedka KHaatumo State Ayaa Shaaciyay Magacyadii Xildhibaanada Baarlamaanka Cusub ee Soomaaliya Liiska Xildhibaanada Barlamaanka Federaalka Soomaaliya ee Kasoo Jeeda KHaatumo State 1. Dr. Ali Khaliif Galaydh, Former PM 2. Dr. Abdulkareem Hassan Jamaac, Former Minister 3. Ikhyaar Maxamuud Axmed. 4. Ziyaad Maxamuud Shirre. 5. Xaaji Abdi Maxamed Ali. 6. Caydiid Saleebaan Xaashi. 7. C/Waaxid Abdullaahi Jaamac. 8. Yuusuf Ahmed Nuur. Should be rejected. Consitution demands 30% of any group of MPs should be females. They need to replace two males for 2 females. 8X30%=2.4 i.e there should be at least 2 females...Ikhyaar??

[The bracket italicized colored inserts is mine, the poster.] By ALAN BOSWELL - McClatchy Newspapers MOGADISHU, Somalia -- On the edge of Somalia's battered capital of Mogadishu, on a hilltop overlooking the Indian Ocean, there's an unlikely oasis of white tents laid out in perfect rows, where foreigners mingle with locals, a bakery provides free fresh bread daily and even the sandy floors are swept [impressive]. Flapping audaciously in the seaside breeze above it all is the symbol of Mogadishu's newest foreign patron, the red and white flag of Turkey. "In other camps, there is not enough food, the tents are too small, there is no medical care. Those are not problems here," said 70-year old Mahmoud Mohammed Afrah, who fled to Mogadishu two years ago and now, for the first time, has two tents for his large family. "The Turks are the best. Nobody is better," Afrah said, huddled proudly in his new tent. [and most honest too] For a city that's the recipient of so much foreign aid, Mogadishu is a curious place: Hardly any foreigners work here, thanks in part to a history littered with disastrous outside interventions, including the deaths of 18 U.S. soldiers in 1993 in the "Black Hawk Down" battle. As Somalia's anarchic civil war has raged on ever since, the country's aid operations have been run from nearby Nairobi, Kenya, even during the famine last year that killed tens of thousands. The amount of aid money devoted to Somalia doesn't seem to be the problem. Aid groups have spent billions in relief, and doubtlessly they've saved thousands of lives. Yet, driving through the city, it's difficult to find any marks of the assistance or any Somalis who think the aid is managed well. United Nations efforts here, also overseen from Nairobi, almost universally are discounted. "They spend too much money with no evident results," Somali Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali said recently. [True. Most donated funds are lavishly spent in Nairobi’s gated golf communities] But last year, the Turks rolled into town with humanitarian relief and never left. [May Allah compensate them for their efforts to help out fellow Muslims with Jannatul furdowsa.] The pristine tented camp is only the tip of the iceberg. Around Mogadishu, street corner after street corner promotes Turkish development projects that promise new roads, new hospitals and new schools. "I call it direct aid," said C. Karin Torun, Turkey's ambassador to Somalia, sitting in his second-floor office at the Turkish Embassy in Mogadishu. That by itself is rare: Western nations run their Somali diplomacy out of Nairobi, too. [What an exemplary in bravery!] Torun argues that the U.N.'s approach simply isn't working. Because of security concerns, it funnels aid to recipients through Somali intermediaries without direct U.N. oversight and with limited monitoring, he said. "Many Somalis say that they do not receive what they are told they are supposed to," he said. The Turks, however, manage their programs themselves. The difference is clear in visits to four camps of displaced people. Most of the Somalis housed in those camps reported that they'd received no food or shelter from any aid organizations. "I've been here eight months, and I swear I haven't received anything," said Momino Sheikh, a 32-year-old mother of six. She bought the plastic for her hut herself, and she must search for sporadic work to feed her family. She used to have free access to water, but now she must pay to draw water from the well, she said .[..and Nairobi is having an ice cream party] In response to emailed questions, the U.N. said the area where Momino Sheikh was living - a large and growing camp of displaced people that's known as Zona-K - was too insecure for it to serve safely. Somalis can go instead to the nearest feeding centers, nutritional centers and health centers for services, the U.N. said. [security is the most abused word in Nairobi and Mogadishu] As Torun described, the U.N. has few ways to guarantee that its aid reaches the people it's supposed to. The U.N. investigative unit that's tasked with vetting the Somali organizations the U.N. works with is based in Nairobi. Somalis complain that most of the money earmarked for humanitarian relief is spent on the foreign bureaucracy or siphoned off by opportunistic local organizations, often in collusion with politicians, camp leaders or warlords.[yes!] Until late last year, it was nearly impossible to monitor much of the aid directly because the Islamist rebel group al-Shabab controlled much of the city. In October, however, African Union troops pushed al-Shabab out of the capital. "This aid from the American taxpayer should reach the Somali needy person without too much interference in between. But that is not what is happening. I'm sure that for every dollar that is donated by the American taxpayer, it would be less than 10 cents that reach the ground. That's no good," Prime Minister Ali said. [yes, he really nailed it] "I don't think that's fair," responded Justin Brady, the new head of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs for Somalia. The U.N.'s humanitarian impact is difficult for Somalis to gauge, he said, because - unlike the Turks - the U.N. doesn't brand its projects with its logo, for security reasons. Brady also noted that his position has been relocated to Mogadishu, and he expects that staff members now in Nairobi also will move to Mogadishu, as soon as space is found to house them. [or as sluggish as the bureaucracy allows] Turkey's own engagement extends well past aid: Last August, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan became the first non-African head of state to visit Somalia's capital in nearly 20 years. In March, Turkish Airlines became the first major international carrier to fly directly to Mogadishu.[This was a historic visit Somalis will forever remember it] Critics see self-interest where Turks claim charity. Somalia is expected to have a fully recognized government and a new constitution soon. That has energy companies foaming at the mouth for speculative oil concessions, among other business interests. [To hell with critics! They are, as Somalis say, playing with their fully loaded stomachs] Ambassador Torun said it would be wrong to assume that the Turks ultimately were investing in Somali aid for business interests. But he did acknowledge that Turkey is in a better position to operate here thanks to its Islamic culture. "It's not easy for many countries to work here," he said.[because Turkey and Mr. Torun have commitment to humanitarian issue] But al-Shabab has condemned Turkey, too. In June, a Turkish convoy was targeted in a roadside explosion. Nobody was killed, and Torun said the attack hadn't dissuaded his country from its on-the-ground commitment. Too much concern for safety keeps the job from getting done, he said. "Everybody has risks. You have to take risks," he said. [yes, life is not a risk-free existence] (Boswell is a McClatchy special correspondent. His reporting is underwritten in part by a grant from Humanity United, a California-based foundation that focuses on human rights issues.)

"Didier Drogba, former Chelsea and Ivory Coast football captain was very instrumental in his country's peace deal. He is not only adored for his football talent, but also for giving back to his community and because of this he was named as one of the 11 members of Ivory Coast's Truth and Reconciliation Commission". Just like most people across UK and all over the world, I have been glued to the TV set every evening to catch the London 2012 Olympics highlights and watch evening Olympic sports. My friend Stephanie posted on her face book message that her 2 year old daughter seems to be loving basketball. No doubt 2012 Olympics is inspiring a generation. The Super Saturday as BBC called it was exceptional. The whole day I was waiting to watch and cheer Mo Farah a Somalia born athlete who moved to UK when he was 8 years and runs for Great Britain http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/olympics/athletics/team-mo-farah-get-ready-for-somali-joy-8002323.html. Mo didn't only disappoint the Super Saturday by winning the 10,000 meters final but he also defeated the likes of double world record holder Ethiopian, Kenenisa Bekele. Needless to say the race also included Kenyans who are known for winning long distance races. Mo Farah's win shows that anything is possible through hard work, patient and believing in oneself. This win will inspire both young and old to keep on trying and be focused on their goals. Mo's win even showed that BBC commentary team have emotions and can celebrate without reservations. http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19134764#TWEET185351 On twitter, it was reported that there were celebrations in Mogadishu, capital of Somalia. Even though Mo Farah runs for team GB, he is still celebrated in Somalia and he does a lot of charity both in Somalia and UK through Mo Foundation. The Foundation feeds thousands left hungry by famine and also works with young Somalia refugees in UK. So, why not use this man in Somalia talks? How can the world involve him in Somalia peace? Mo Farah foundation: He already has an avenue where he works with Somalia people. Those bodies and individuals who are involved in Somalia talks can partner with this foundation and build up on its work. People like to identify themselves with their own and MO Foundation is seen in Somalia as not just a charity that is 'doing good' but a body that is concerned and cares for its people. Talks with the government and rebels; Watching Mo's interviews, he comes across as an intelligent eloquent man who has passion in what he does. This man can inspire and accomplish what many people have tried to do in Somalia and failed. Many politicians always want to be seen as standing with the people. Mo Farah represents people; Majority of Somalians identify and share Mo Farah's story. Remember Somalia sees him as one of hers not an imposing outsider. Talks with young people; Many Somalianss who are in the front line are young people who have been brain washed and being used by terrorist branded group Al shabaab. These youths have given up hope and they believe there is nothing to loose. Majority are unemployed, languishing in poverty and not educated. Mo can inspire this generation. Creating a platform where Mo Farah sharing his story to inspire young Somalians can be a huge step forward in transforming Somalia. Humans connect to humans and sharing experiences can transform lives. Remember they see Mo Farah as their own. There has been several international conferences talking about peace in Somalia and plight of her citizens with the last one being held in London. Somalia people want peace. They want to build their lives, want their children to go school and prosper. During these talks, this popular athlete's name is never mentioned. Didier Drogba, former Chelsea and Ivory Coast football captain was very instrumental in his country's peace deal. He is not only adored for his football talent, but also for giving back to his community and because of this he was named as one of the 11 members of Ivory Coast's Truth and Reconciliation Commission. The world is celebrating Mo Farah's achievement. I am very lucky to be using this platform not only to congratulate him but to celebrate with him for he has lived to re-affirm London 2012 motto, 'to inspire a generation.' Follow Kevin Mbewa Anyango on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mkevoh