A historic drought in the Horn of Africa, which includes southern Ethiopia to northern Kenya and Somalia, has put 22 million people at risk of hunger. The number has nearly doubled since the beginning of 2022 when only 13 million were facing hunger. In this region, which relies mostly on livestock and agriculture, nearly 5.6 million people are now considered “acutely food insecure” in Somalia, 12 million in Ethiopia, and 4.3 million in Kenya according to the United Nations.

The Horn of Africa is one of the regions hardest hit by climate change and the current drought is caused by a sequence of five failed rainy seasons since late 2020. The situation has been exacerbated by the impact of the war in Ukraine, which has increased the price of grain and fuel and diverted many humanitarian aid funds. The coming months are expected to worsen as a sixth rainy season from March to May is also forecast to be below average.

Somalia is the most affected country, with over 7.85 million people affected by the drought. Without an increased humanitarian response, a famine is expected to occur between April and June 2023 in southern Somalia, warns OCHA. Nearly two million children across the Horn of Africa are in need of urgent treatment for severe acute malnutrition.

According to UNICEF, 730 children have died in feeding centers in Somalia between January and July 2022, a figure that is likely an underestimate. The lack of water, milk, and food has weakened the youngest children, making them vulnerable to diseases such as measles and cholera, and altering their growth over the long term.

Only 55.8% of the $5.9 billion requested by the UN to alleviate this crisis in 2023 has been funded, making additional funds desperately needed. A call for funding has been made, with Xavier Joubert, Director of Save The Children Ethiopia stating that “there is no end in sight for the hunger crisis” and the needs have become enormous.

Al-Shabab fighters attacked a military base in central Somalia, killing 7 soldiers and injuring several others. The government had recaptured the base from al-Shabab in October. The group claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement and said it had killed “many apostate soldiers and their commander.” The base is located about 60km north of the capital, Mogadishu and was part of a broader government offensive which began in August and has made significant gains.

#Somalia 🇸🇴: state-tv footage of Somalian soldiers on the move in the #Galmudug region of northern Somalia where a government blitz offensive against #AlShabaab has resulted in the capture of three towns in under 48 hours. pic.twitter.com/fy0WDvQkZI

— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) January 17, 2023

the dead of #AlShabaab terrorist will lead to secure our country. this pic shows us the attitude of our heroes. pic.twitter.com/z41vqvLu0y

— Mohamed Juujuule (@mohamedjuujuule) September 23, 2022

President Uhuru Kenyatta has told traders at Mombasa’s Kongowea market to only pay for services offered to them. The President said the new market was built by the national government at a cost of Shs 500million and that the National Youth Service will from next week embark on cleaning of the market.

Addressing traders at Kongowea on Monday, the Head of State said there was no need for the county government to continue taxing the traders and yet it doesn’t provide services to them.

“There is no need for the county government to continue taxing the traders and yet they do not provide the services they have paid for,” said Mr Kenyatta.

He said the Government has launched investigations to establish claims that traders at the Kongowea market were not being served despite paying taxes.

He said the national government would not hesitate to take action against those who failed to deliver.
“We cannot allow the people to suffer in the hands of some few individuals. Wananchi should only pay for services offered to them,” said President Kenyatta.

He warned police against harassing wananchi if they don’t pay for the services not offered. The President and Deputy President William Ruto, at the same time, told opposition candidate Raila Odinga that Kenyans will go to the polls on October 26 whether he participates or not.

The leaders said the Opposition leaders were scared of the elections because they have sensed defeat, saying they were scheming to have the elections delayed in another three months for their selfish gains.

They said the Opposition was bent on inciting Kenyans through demonstrations to cause confusion with the hope of getting into power through the backdoor.

“We know their games and we have said enough is enough. There will be no postponement. Mr Odinga should retire and honourably go home,” said the Deputy President.

President Kenyatta and DP Ruto told Mr Odinga to retire from politics if he was not ready to participate in the October 26 polls.
Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala (Tourism), Governor Mike Sonko (Nairobi), Nyali MP Mohammed Ali, among others, also spoke at the meeting.

The Deputy President said Opposition leader was now opposed to the elections because he knows that he will win.
President Kenyatta said Jubilee was ready and prepared to face the Opposition at the ballot and will not allow any attempts to have the elections postponed.

“The Opposition should stop sideshows and prepare for the next elections. Kenyans want to move away from elections to concentrate on development activities,” said President Kenyatta.

DP Ruto said the mass exodus of Kenyans who supported Nasa during the August 8 elections has shaken the Opposition and that’s why they want to interfere with the elections.

“We are tired of their rhetoric and stories and the country wants to move on. We must conclude elections on October 26. If those in Opposition are not ready, they should retire from politics,” said DP Ruto.

He added: “There is exodus of Kenyans from Nasa because they are tired of their empty rhetoric and want to support Jubilee which is committed to improving their lives.”

Mr Balala and Mr Sonko urged residents in coastal region to turn out in large numbers and support the reelection of President Kenyatta.

“It is time for us to move away from politics of propaganda and support Jubilee that is committed to improving our lives,” said Mr Sonko.

President Yoweri Museveni has told a meeting of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) troop-contributing countries (TCC) that their role in Somalia is purely for Pan African reasons of helping to stabilise Somalia. Uganda was the first country to deploy peace keeping troops in Somalia in 2007, under AMISOM to restore peace in the Horn of Africa. President Museveni addressing a meeting of AMISOM contributing countries said Uganda is not an employee of the United Nations.

AMISOM is the regional peacekeeping mission operated by the African Union with the approval of the United Nations in Somalia.

“This is a Pan-African venture. We are not employees of the United Nations (UN) or Somalia,” he said.

The President was last Thursday chairing a closed-door meeting, one of a kind, for countries contributing troops to AMISOM including Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda host Somalia and Djibouti in which they agreed to improve political and military co-ordination to ensure that peace and security is guaranteed in Somalia. A member of the African Union also attended the meeting.

According to a release from State House sources at the talks, priority centered at helping Somalia in building a strong national army and taking stock of the political situation. All parties agreed to keenly follow a review on AMISOM by the UN Secretary General.

The UN provides logistics, technical and training support to AMISOM and to the Somali National Army. The UN believes with enhanced support to AMISOM, the African Union Force and predictable funding, along with a co-ordinated effort to build the Somali National Army and Police Forces, Al Shabaab can be defeated.

Uganda was the first country to deploy in Somalia in 2007, under AMISOM to restore peace in the Horn of Africa.

During the meeting, Uganda was elected as official spokesperson of the troop-contributing countries.

The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister of Somalia Hassan Ali Khare, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Desalegn Hailemariam, foreign affairs minister of Kenya Amina Muhammed, commissioner Ismael Chergui of the African Union, Allen Nyamitwe, the foreign affairs minister of Burundi.

Others were Yusuf Mahmoud, the foreign affairs minister of Djibouti, Abdullahi Rachid the defence minister of Somalia, foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa, Chief of Defence Forces Gen. David Muhoozi, Uganda’s permanent representative to the UN Adoniya Ayebare and Maj. Gen. Kayemba, Uganda’s military adviser at the Uganda Mission in New York.

Arriving in Djibouti on 16 September to take part in the first Djibouto-Tunisian investment conference, Tunisian businessmen members of the Tunisia Africa Business Council, a newly created Business Council dedicated to Investments in Africa, were introduced yesterday to the head of State by the Minister to the presidency responsible for investments, Ali Guelleh Abd.

President Ismail Omar Guelleh warmly welcomed the Tunisian delegation led by Mr. Bassem Loukil, CEO of the eponymous group and president of the TABC

The head of State welcomed the Tunisian businessmen to Djibouti and spoke with them about the relations of friendship and cooperation between Tunisia and the Republic of Djibouti, the many similarities between the two countries and the partnership Between the two countries-which is in the process of being set up-and whose economic conference is the founding act.

The efforts made by the SDI to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and the provisions that have been made in the area of investment guarantee have also been mentioned.

At the end of the interview, the head of the Tunisian delegation, Bassem Loukil did not conceal the determination of the TABC to quickly ratify economic projects in Djibouti in many areas, including information technology, Telecommunications, agro-food and housing.

“We are all the more motivated to launch these projects quickly in Djibouti as your country offers all the successes for important investments,” said Mr. Bassem Loukil, who thanked the people and the Government of Djibouti for the reception received at Djibouti.

The Minister to the Investment presidency, Mr. Ali Guelleh Abd, has expressed his pride in the interest of Tunisian investors in our country. For him, the two countries, bound by a long and old friendship, are about to write together a new page of their common history.

Oswego Police and the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office say a 76 year-old Wheaton man is in custody after he allegedly sexually assaulted and sexually abused an adult female victim in Oswego in 2016.

In a joint release, the agencies say 76 year-old Woldekidan Gebremedhin of W. Roosevelt Rd. in Wheaton is charged with two counts each of Criminal Sexual Assault and Criminal Sexual Abuse after he was arrested on a warrant at his home in Wheaton on Friday.

Authorities say Woldekidan Gebremedhin allegedly sexually assaulted the adult female victim, who was not further identified, in Oswego in July of 2016.

On Tuesday the four felony charges were approved and a warrant for arrest was issued.

Woldekidan was taken to the DuPage County Jail and was then transported to the Kendall County Jail where is he is being held on $250,000 bond.

Qatar’s alleged support of terrorist organizations, which has already frayed its relation with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other Gulf states, is also destabilizing East Africa.

Qatar’s withdrawal of its peacekeepers on June 14 from the Djibouti-Eritrea border was a form of punishment to the disputing countries which supported the quartet of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, according to a senior researcher at a US Department of Defense think tank.

“Punishing Djibouti and Eritrea for breaking relations with Qatar was one reason for the withdraw of Qatari peacekeepers,” said Joseph Siegle, director of research for DOD funded African Center for Strategic Studies.

Qatar responded almost immediately after the two embattled countries announced support and removed nearly 500 troops it had kept since 2010 in a border.

Eritrea, which is larger and better armed than Djibouti, quickly moved into the disputed territories of Dumeira mountain and Dumeira Island.

Although no shots were fired, tensions have increased dramatically in the area. In June 2008, the two countries fought a brief war that claimed roughly 200 dead and wounded. Qatari peacekeepers arrived in 2010 as part of a Doha led mediation process.

In a renewed round of open conflict, the odds would heavily favor Eritrea. Eritrea has a veteran military as well as larger numbers of armored fighting vehicles and combat aircraft.

“The military and the state apparatus are full of veterans of previous conflicts,” Siegle said. “In fact, the state as an institution is more focused on conflict than Djibouti.”

He said the tense situation is yet another unhappy consequence of Qatari policies that have provoked a range of harsh responses from its neighbors. The persistent efforts by its Gulf neighbors to punish and isolate it since June have strained its resources so that the removal of peacekeepers is as much an act of redeployment as retribution.

“I think it’s a combination of the reason that is most strategic and Qatar has a limited number of forces and it is dealing with the more threatening situation given the current embargo,” Siegel said.

“It has bigger strategic interests than the border dispute between Djibouti and Eritrea. I think punishing Djibouti for breaking relations with Qatar was a factor but, it was secondary in the context of the current crisis. Qatar has other ways of punishing Djibouti in the regional context.”

>> READ MORE : Peaceful Settlement of Eritrea – Djibouti Conflict Achieved: Qatar

The dispute lies along a small section of the 110-kilometer-long Djiboutian-Eritrean frontier. An agreement signed in 1900 between France and Italy left the precise location of the border along the Dumeira Mountain and Dumeira Islands ill defined.

Djibouti is a founding member of the Islamic Military Alliance to Fight Terrorism founded by Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Defense and the small Red Sea nation has also formally joined the US-led and anti-ISIS coalition.

Qatar’s sudden withdraw may not have only cost Djibouti a strip of its territory. Djibouti also worries about the fate of its Djiboutian prisoners of war held by Eritrea – an issue that Qatar had attempted to negotiate.

At the end of the 2008 conflict, Eritrea held 19 Djiboutian prisoners of war. Four were later were released, and two escaped according to the Djiboutian government.

>> ALSO READ : Eritrea Freed Djibouti Prisoners of War

“[Eritrea] continues to spread blatant lies about the prisoner’s condition and has refused to account for them despite repeated calls by the Security Council,” according to Mohammed Dualeh, Djibouti’s ambassador to the United Nations.

Djibouti hosts several foreign military bases, Camp Lemonier, a former French Foreign Legion outpost, has been America’s only permanent military base in Africa since 2001.

The country has also welcomed military bases from China and Japan in recent years.
Via Tesfa News!