Somalia must speed overhaul of fragile army to face militants, say donors

[Duufaan]

Somalia must speed overhaul of fragile army to face militants, say donors

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Wednesday May 2, 2018
By Maggie Fick


FILE PHOTO: Somali military officers attend a training programme by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at their military base in Mogadishu, Somalia November 1, 2017. REUTERS/Feisal Omar/File Photo

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Somalia should accelerate reforms of its army, its main foreign backers said on Wednesday after discussing slow progress in transforming the graft-ridden force into one capable of fighting al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants. 

The statement from a donor summit in Brussels urged Somalia to work faster to address problems identified in a report last year by the government, the United Nations and the African Union (AU). 

That report called the Somali National Army (SNA) a “fragile force with extremely weak command and control”, and comes as AU peacekeepers prepare for their departure in 2020, leaving the local military in charge of Somalia’s security. 

The AU force began drawing down last year. It does most of the fighting against Shabaab insurgents who launch attacks in Mogadishu and elsewhere. Without strong Somali forces, Shabaab could be reinvigorated, analysts say. 
 

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Donors said the army should create biometric registration and electronic payroll systems to curb corruption. 

“The SNA has to improve dramatically in a short amount of time as it is falling farther and farther behind schedule on achieving the benchmarks agreed to last year,” said Joshua Meservey, at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. 

“MORE TRUST” 

The International Monetary Fund has been pushing for better management of public finances and says the government is implementing reforms under an agreed staff-monitored program. 

The government has adopted a single public finance account to guard against theft, introduced a sales tax 
at the Mogadishu port and started taxing telecommunications companies, Finance Minister Abdirahman Duale Beileh said. 

Federal government revenues have quadrupled since 2012. 


FILE PHOTO: Members of Somali Armed Forces take their position during fighting between the military and police backed by intelligence forces in the Dayniile district of Mogadishu, Somalia September 16, 2017. REUTERS/Feisal Omar/File Photo

It will soon enter a third 12-month IMF program which it hopes will be its last, paving the way toward restructuring external debt of nearly $5 billion. Somalia has not made a debt service payment since civil war broke out in 1991. 

“We are open for audit. The IMF has access to our systems,” Beileh said. “We are walking the walk and doing what needs to be done.” 

The Bank could this year offer its first grant to Mogadishu in more than 25 years if reform continues, the minister said. 

Such funds could lessen Somalia’s dependence on less predictable or transparent funds that often come with political conditions. 

Tensions between the federal government and provincial administrations have escalated this year amid a row involving Gulf nations whose problems have spilled into Somalia. The United Arab Emirates and allies have imposed sanctions on Qatar in the standoff - and both sides have backed rival camps in Somalia with money and investments. 

Reporting by Maggie Fick; Editing by Ed Cropley and Andrew Heavens

[Duufaan]

This is good report for the Somali government, specially the financial department. Mr Bayle did good job to lift the whole government. His persistence with all the pressures from corrupted people is paying of. The problem is the  defense department without a minister for the most of the time. They need somebody like Bayle there but the 4.5  will make things harder. Farmaajo must permanently stay there and hire some forceful people with intention to make things better for sake of the nation not collect money or maintain  the status  ques.

[Duufaan]

Somali people want also to know what they donate for sake of transparency they always mention. They could offer loans, connected to Somali national resources  rather donations.

[Duufaan]

They started

48 minutes ago, Duufaan said:

The Bank could this year offer its first grant to Mogadishu in more than 25 years if reform continues, the minister said.

You missed this one. Sometimes you have difficult reading between lines. With all your education and English language skills. You seems missing inference skills and identified  writers intended meaning. They identified short coming but acknowledged progress here and rewarded continue support and assistance.

[Old_Observer]

If by 2020 Somalia still needs outside help, which most likely will not, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Sudan should do it on their own dime. Pure help, will be fast since its expensive, expect some pressure on delaying politicians from Mogadishu and this should be under Somalia full command participation as was planned in 2006. No EU, no US -Somalia requests EGAD signs.

SFG chooses areas of deployment and mission

SFG Assigns high official at least a colonel on every deployment area

Except on tactics and war/fighting when necessary the Somali official has last say and he is liason to civilian population

Ethiopia does not want to go further than bordering states, but can cover about 60% territory

Djibouti, Sudan and Ethiopia with Yemen out now were to go under one commander who has full authority over forces of any of them. Sudanese was selected at that time and then Djibouti then Yemen then Ethiopia.

Dust up plan from 2006 minus Yemen who was to go to Mogadishu the city if necessary.

 

 

[gooni]

Kun askari oo dishibiliin lahayn waxaa ka qiimo badan toban dishibiliin leh

Dalalka isku dilay dhexdooda gobalaysiga, qabiilka, diinta Iwm, way adagtahay inay si sahlan ugu gudbaan ciiddan qarran oo tayo fiican.

Somaaliya haday doonayso ciidan qaran waa inay  isku tashataa,dhistaana kii asaga ilaalin lahaa ama police milatary aad u adag.

Police mlatrigu wuxuu u qaybsami jiray labo mid loogu yeeri jiray salaan-sharaf, balse ahaa ilaalinta akhlaaqda askarta, iyo mid ilaalin jiray madaxda sare iyo meelaha muhiimkaa iyo kuwa kaloo badan oo u dhisnaa jaran jar kala dambaysa, oo aan shacabka caadigaa iyo idaacad madax banaan midnaba, waxba ka ogayn.

Maxkamadoodu waa gaar xukunkooduna waa degdeg fulintiisu waayo askarigu hadduusan ka baqayn maxkamad milatary wuxuu la mid yahay miino biinkii laga bixiyay haddaadan iska tuurin si taxadar leh aduu kugu qarxi.

Ciiddan dhexdiisa is laayay weligeed ma dhicin xataa berigii dawladdu sii daciiftay waxaana keenaysa, kuwanu maysan arkin ayadoo maxkamadu xukuntay oo ciqaab ku maraya xerada meelaan ka fogayn.

Haddii beelo lagasoo ururiyo imaaraadkana mushaar looga doono, maxaa diidaya inuu sarkaalkii xukumay amar ku bixiyo inay qorigooda ku doontaan gunadii bishii hore ka maqnayd?  asagoo waliba og qudhiisa inuusan sharci milstary jirin.

Beesha caalamka oo noo shiraysa, dhaqaalaha ugu badan waxay ku bixisaa walaalaheen amisom oo ayagu dhaleen,waxayna keentay in ciidamadoodu xeraday ku jiraan ku dhintaan ayagoo waliba mushaar fiican u ururay.

Somaaliduna waxay sugaysasaa in dalkooda loo xoreeyo hadhowna heestii eehi eehi dhinac ula jiifsadaan sidii "Ri"dhalaysa.