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Africa Horn
Somalia: Yusuf meets Puntland officials over security
2007-07-29
(SomaliNet) Somalia’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed is now in Puntland, the semi-autonomous region in northeast Somalia for talks with the officials of that regional government. President Yusuf who reached Garowe, the capital of Puntland yesterday met with Puntland president Adde Muse Hersi over the political and security issues in the region.

President Adde Muse said Puntland was ready to help the transitional federal government secure peace and stability as thousands of Puntland troops already joined the transitional government to defend its legacy.
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Africa Horn
Somalia: Nothing will delay reconciliation conference, president
2007-07-13
(SomaliNet) Somalia’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed insisted that the reconciliation conference will take place in Mogadishu as intended ignoring the violence in the city. In a news conference held today inside the presidential house jointly with the traditional leader of Hawiye clan Haji Abdi Iman, president Yusuf spoke out about the current situation in the country and the government’s decision to hold the reconciliation meeting on its deadline.

When asked about the night’s mortar attacks on government positions, Mr. Yusuf said the violence would not deter the government from its efforts to hold the meeting. “Let alone a mortar attack, even if a nuclear bomb is launched, the national reconciliation meeting will open on its scheduled time, our security forces will continue the disarmament operations and hunting down the plotters,” said president Yusuf.

In his speech, the president again offered an amnesty to all supporters of the ousted Islamic Courts Union except those who support extremism. “Somalia president promised us that all those who fled the country for fear of reprisal will be given amnesty and can return to their homes,” Abdi Iman told the reporters in the presidential palace.

The president also ruled out the possibility of any foreign troops withdrawal from the country saying that the outside forces will stay in the country until peace is restored.
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Africa Horn
Somalia: Militants spoil the spirit of 1st July
2007-07-01
(SomaliNet) A heavy explosion and gunfire could be heard tonight in Wadnaha road, south of the Somalia capital Mogadishu as celebrations marking the 1st July independence day continue in the presidential palace. A local resident who is in condition of anonymous told Somalinet by telephone that masked local militants have launched an ambush attack on the government soldiers stationing at the check points of Howlwadaag and Geed Jaceyl.

A ceremony of commemorating the 37th anniversary when Somalia took its independence from the Italian colonial in 1960 is currently going on in Villa Somalia, the presidential compound in Mogadishu where many top government officials are present under heavy tight security. Somalia’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed is expected to deliver his national speech at the occasion, at mid night local time the national flag will hoisted.
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Africa Horn
Somalia Conference Delayed for 30 days
2007-06-14
(SomaliNet) The chairman of the reconciliation conference in Somalia Ali Mahdi Mohamed announced Wednesday that the meeting which was scheduled to take place on 14 June has been delayed for one month.

In a news conference held in Hotel Amana, north of Mogadishu, Mr. Mahdi said his committee put off the timing of the reconciliation meeting for 30 days and it will be held on 15 July. “We did this after we received many requests from the Somali clans who are still busy in selecting the envoys that will represent them to attend the coming national reconciliation conference,” said Ali Mahdi.

He also said in his statement that the committee are still preparing the scene allotted for the meeting which is the former police transportation compound in north of Mogadishu where it is under heavy security.

Mr. Mahdi said the reconciliation committee took the decision of putting off the meeting to 15 July. It is the third but not the last time the reconciliation conference which had been announced by the Somali interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed faced delays.
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Africa Horn
Ethiopia reopens its embassy in Mogadishu
2007-05-28
(SomaliNet) The Ethiopian government has reopened on Sunday its embassy in the Somalia capital Mogadishu for the first time in 16 years to restore the relationship between the two countries – as the Ethiopian foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin visits Somalia.

In the reopening ceremony, attended by officials of Ethiopia and Somalia governments and officials from the African peacekeepers from Uganda, has been held inside the embassy near the presidential palace. Security was tightened very highly around the area of the embassy and the president compound as heavily armed Ethiopian, Ugandan and Somalia forces were deployed in all the streets in and out the area.

Somali interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed and his prime minister Ali Mohamed Gedi and other government officials were present at the ceremony. “I am very happy to welcome you with this ceremony of the reopening of the Ethiopian embassy here in Mogadishu, Mr. President and Mr. prime minister, I am thanking you for honoring us by your presence in this historical occasion of reopening of the embassy after more than 16 years,” said Mr. Mesfin.
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Africa Horn
Somalia president meets clan elders
2007-05-14
(SomaliNet) Somalia’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed met on Sunday with elders and intellectuals of Saleban sub-clan of Habar-Gidir clan in Somalia capital Mogadishu as part of president’s efforts to convince the opposing clans to support his government, the presidential spokesman Mohamed Hubsired told reporters.

The spokesman said the president has discussed with the clan elders over the best way that the Suleiman sub-clan could help the government in restoring peace and security in the capital and support for the federal institutions. Some of the elders who met with the president were supporting the recent insurgence in Mogadishu against the government.

Mr. Hubsired said the meeting was successful and everything was agreed upon. The president has been involving in constant separate meetings with Hawiye clan elders to support his government to introduce peace and stability in the capital.
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Africa Horn
Somalia president claims victory, asks for international help
2007-04-29
(SomaliNet) Somalia’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed has today revealed that the war in Mogadishu ended urging displaced people to return to their homes in the Somalia capital.

In a news conference held in the presidential palace in Mogadishu, Mr. Yusuf said the war between the government and the remnants of the Islamists has been accomplished. “The fighting in the capital was between the government troops along with its allied forces of Ethiopians and remnants of the ousted Islamic Courts,” said Yusuf.

President Yusuf said the transitional government was forced to involve in war after the insurgents attacked government positions and the other compounds stationed by the Ethiopian forces and the AU peacekeepers. “We have many times offered to rebel groups to enter talks with us and end the gap through peace dialogue but they refused that and took the option of fighting,” added Yusuf. He described the recent fighting in Somalia capital regrettable and voiced concern over the civilians who fled the capital and suffering in suburb areas.

Also in his press conference, president Yusuf appealed for the Mogadishu’s people to return to their homes since the fighting has ended. Mr. Yusuf who yesterday returned to the capital after eight days of heavy and bloody battles, asked for the international community to provide an urgent assistance to the displaced people from Mogadishu. His comments came as the government’s security forces began patrolling on the streets of the capital searching all cars for weapons and suspects.
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Africa Horn
Somalia president seeks Arab support
2007-03-04
(SomaliNet) Somali’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed is now in Kuwait for three day visit seeking for for financial support to push the national reconciliation conference he had announced earlier to be held inside the country.

President Yusuf and his delegation have received a warm welcome from the Kuwaiti officials. On Thursday, speaking to the parliamentarians in Baidoa city, southwest Somalia, president Abdulahi Yusuf revealed the date for the national conference saying that the meeting will be held on 16 April for all parts of Somali society to end the conflict.

During his stay in Kuwait, Mr. Yusuf will be meeting with the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah other key officials over how Kuwait would play its role in funding the meeting aimed to pacify rival Somalis. President’s trip to Kuwait is meant to collect Arab support for his transitional government. The Kuwaiti government sees the visit by the Somalia president in its country as milestone and successful step to promote the mutual relations between Somalia and Kuwait.
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Africa Horn
Somalia: President Yusuf names new administration for the capital
2007-01-16
(SomaliNet) Somalia interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed has appointed on Monday a new administration for Banadir province, a day after he had spoken about the need for regional authority and build up of security forces in the capital to restore law and order.

The announcement was made in a decree issued from the president’s office in Mogadishu. Mohamod Hassan Ali known as (Adde Gabow) was named as the mayor Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. His assistants were also named. The assistant chairman for the region’s peace and politics was given to Ibrhaim Omar Sabriye known as Shawiye. Hassan Mohammed Nor was named as assistant chair for the economy and finances and Abdulkadir Sufi Muridi as the chairman for public works and social issues.
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Africa Horn
Somalia: President says Somalia will not be like Afghanistan and Iraq
2006-12-30
(SomaliNet) Somalia’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed said on Friday Somalia will not be like Afghanistan and Iraq – his government won in the fighting with Islamist movement with the help of Ethiopian forces. In news conference held in Baidoa city, the base of the transitional federal government, shortly after meeting with the Ethiopian foreign minister Siyoum Mesfin in Biadoa, president Yusuf said that his government could now handle the situation in Somalia, if needed it will ask for African troops to help the government establish the security.

Siyoum Mesfin, the Ethiopian foreign minister met with President Abdulahi Yusuf over the political issues between Somalia and Ethiopia and best ways to promote peace in the region in prevent of any terrorist actions in horn of Africa.

Mr. Yusuf thanked Ethiopian government for the help it offered interim government in order to stand on its feet and control whole Somalia. “My government in collaboration with its neighbor (Ethiopian government) won to oust the so-called Islamic Courts and its terrorist groups from the capital and now my government is with its people working together how to restore peace and security,” Yusuf said.

President Yusuf also said that he had raised with the Ethiopian foreign minister over issues relating to how to bring peace and stability in the region and disarm the militias and then promote relations between Somalia and Ethiopia. Siyoum Mesfin and his delegation went back to Addis Ababa after talks. It is the second time that Ethiopian foreign minister visited Baidoa, the seat of the transitional federal government during the Ethiopian military mission against the Islamic Courts in Somalia.
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Africa Horn
Somalia: President says Islamic Courts are on the offensive
2006-11-28
(SomaliNet) Somali’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed on Monday accused the Islamic Courts Union of being offensive to his government. He said in an interview with Al-Arabia TV channel in its office in Somalia describing the recent comments by the leader of Islamists, Sheikh Sharif Sheik Ahmed in which he declared jihad as provocative and vile.

Mr. Yusuf said the Islamic Courts mistranslated the word of Jihad using it for their particular interest to rule the country. “The leader of executive council of Islamic Courts Sheik Sharif will hold the responsibility of the bad consequence that will be resulted from the war he declared,” president Yususf said.

Asked about the presence of terrorist group in Somalia, Mr. Yusuf said that he has concrete evidence confirming that international terrorist cells stay in Somalia and fight alongside with Islamic Courts. He said the terror groups in Somalia help Islamic Courts carrying out acts of destroying the country. “I have an indication, for instance the suicide bomb attack in Baidoa city two months ago that targeted my convoys and aimed to kill me but failed.” But the Islamic Court distanced any involvement of the attack in Baidoa which was plotted to assassinate the president but escaped unharmed.
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Africa Horn
Ugandan and Ethiopian military experts train Somali troops
2006-09-03
(SomaliNet) Somali’s interim president Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed has attended on Saturday an opening ceremony to new military training course in Deynunay military camp in the suburb of Baidoa town 240km southwest of the capital where Ethiopian and Ugandans military experts provide the training.

Officials from the cabinet and the parliament of the government also attended the occasion which happened in the Deynunay military camp 20km of Baidoa, the capital of Bay region in southwest of Somalia.

Around 500 soldiers of former Somali forces will take advantage from the training opened today in Baidoa outskirt. They will be trained for the best techniques of the security establishment. The training which the first of its kind will last for 40 days to enable the government forces to bring security.

President Yusuf who delivered his speech at the opening ceremony urged all the troops in camp to benefit from the Ugandans and Ethiopian military experts during the training to restore their military capacity. He has pledged when the Somali troops finish the training course they will have military equipment and enough fund. The move came as former national troops encamped outside of Baidoa town, southwest of Somalia as part of the national security plan of the government.
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