Metro

Somali parliament endorses new cabinet while al-Shabab militants bomb capital city

Published

2 years ago

August 8, 2022

The Somali parliament on Sunday at the presidential palace in the capital, Mogadishu, unanimously endorsed new cabinet ministers named by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, amid a barrage of mortar attacks in several locations in the city by the al-Shabaab militant group.

Barre had last week, named members of his cabinet including a former co-founder and speaker of the al-Shabaab group, Mukhtar Robow Ali, known as Abu Munsor, who was named the Minister of Religious Affairs, a move that polarised sections of the country with many believing his appointment would embolden the insurgents while others believed it would pacify them.

After the endorsement, Speaker of the Somali Parliament, Adan Mohamed Nur Madobe, said 229 members voted in favor of the cabinet, seven voted against it and one abstained.

PM Barre later addressed parliament after the vote and welcomed the outcome.

“I want to pledge another time that we will work on how to help our people who are facing droughts, to work on security and implement our program that is in front of you while we are working with unity and accountability to overcome all the challenges we are facing. I want to thank you again for your overwhelming approval,” he said.

However, the euphoric moment was marred by several mortar shells bombing which hit the city by the rebel group.

Police reports said several rounds of mortar shells landed near the well fortified presidential palace where the parliament members met.

The group, in a statement on its Telegram channel, has already claimed responsibility for the attacks and said it had shelled the palace with seven mortar rounds.

Another statement by the police said in the town of Jowhar, the capital of Somalia’s Hirshabele state, a bomb blast near a hotel that al-Shabab attacked last month wounded at least five people, including a soldier, two children and two women.

A local journalist, Ibrahim Ali Nur who covered the Jowhar attack, said the explosion destroyed several properties and buildings.

Related Topics:Al-Shabaab Featured Parliament Somalia

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Metro

EU launches initiative to reintegrate over 417,661 out-of-school children in Nigeria

Published

6 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The European Union (EU) has launched an initiative to reintegrate over 417,661 out-of-school children in Nigeria, particularly in the northwestern parts of the country.

Mrs. Tobi Ransomed, who is the consortium lead, disclosed this during the launching of the “Accelerating Basic Education and Livelihood Opportunities for Children and Youth in North West Nigeria Program” (ABEP), held in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State, on Thursday.

While declaring the event open, Ransomed noted that the high rate of out-of-school children in the region required a holistic approach from all relevant stakeholders to ensure these children reached their potential.

Speaking further, she said the ABEP three-year pilot program would be implemented through Save the Children International, PLAN, and Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAG) across twelve local government areas in Kano, Jigawa, and Sokoto States.

“Data from Save the Children International (SCI), has shown that 10% of the world’s out-of-school children are in Nigeria, with over 10 million primary school-age children not in school. Approximately 25% of girls and 10% of boys in the country have been victims of sexual violence,” she stated.

“The program aims to increase access to safe, quality, and inclusive alternative and accelerated education programs for 324,000 young girls and boys, as well as 32,400 persons with disabilities, supporting their transition into formal or non-formal education.

“This project plans to increase access to livelihood opportunities, vocational education, and green job opportunities for 60,000 youths and 6,000 persons with disabilities, with 20,000 beneficiaries in each participating state.

“The overall objective is to contribute to the empowerment of the poorest, underserved, and most marginalized population groups, including women, girls, and youth, by providing access to quality, inclusive, gender-sensitive, and conflict-sensitive education in northwestern Nigeria with a special focus on Kano, Jigawa, and Sokoto States,” she stated.

Metro

World Bank pledges $3b to support Zambia’s development goals

Published

1 day ago

November 14, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The World Bank Group has pledged to avail Zambia with approximately $3 billion to support the country’s development goals under the new Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for 2025-2029, with nearly half of the funds already disbursed.

World Bank Country Manager, Achim Fock, who made this known at the CPF launch at the Mulungushi Conference Centre in Lusaka on Wednesday, outlined the global lender’s focus areas, which included enhancing jobs, human capital, and climate resilience.

Fock highlighted that $200 million had been approved to strengthen Zambia’s social protection programs, including the Refugee and Host Community Project.

He also expressed optimism for upcoming approvals, including the Climate and Economic Resilience Financing and the Zambia-Tanzania Interconnector.

Zambia’s Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, who also spoke at the event, noted that 2.3 million Zambian households have so far benefited from social protection interventions such as the Cash for Work Programme, emphasizing the government’s commitment to safeguarding lives amid crises like the recent drought.

Musokotwane further reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting lives during times of crises such as the recent drought.

“More than two thirds of the Zambian population was affected by the drought. It was the government’s view that the first priority was to save lives,” Musokotwane stated.