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Showing posts with label Somalia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Somalia. Show all posts

Somali state minister dies from coronavirus as South Africa cases rise to 2,173

Somali state minister dies from coronavirus as South Africa cases rise to 2,173

In an African war ravaged country, the justice minister of Somalia's autonomous Hirshabelle state, Khalif Mumin Tohow, has died after contracting the novel coronavirus, the second recorded death in the country.

Tohow died on Sunday in Mogadishu's Martini hospital a day after he tested positive for COVID-19 in the town of Jowhar, the administrative capital of Hirshabelle.

According to local media, Tohow, who was Somali-British, travelled to the United Kingdom in February before he came back to the Horn of Africa nation.

Meanwhile, South Africa has announced 145 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number of infections to 2,173, a health ministry statement said.

The statement stopped short of specifying whether any new fatalities had been recorded, which stood at 25 as of Saturday.

Currently, Africa states are less hit by the pandemic but are likely to face dare economic breakdown most especially export dependent economies in the continent. 

Globally the death toll from the Coronavirus has exceeded 109,000 while the infection confirmed cases worldwide have also exceeded 1.7mln people.
In an African war ravaged country, the justice minister of Somalia's autonomous Hirshabelle state, Khalif Mumin Tohow, has died after contracting the novel coronavirus, the second recorded death in the country.

Tohow died on Sunday in Mogadishu's Martini hospital a day after he tested positive for COVID-19 in the town of Jowhar, the administrative capital of Hirshabelle.

According to local media, Tohow, who was Somali-British, travelled to the United Kingdom in February before he came back to the Horn of Africa nation.

Meanwhile, South Africa has announced 145 new coronavirus cases, taking the total number of infections to 2,173, a health ministry statement said.

The statement stopped short of specifying whether any new fatalities had been recorded, which stood at 25 as of Saturday.

Currently, Africa states are less hit by the pandemic but are likely to face dare economic breakdown most especially export dependent economies in the continent. 

Globally the death toll from the Coronavirus has exceeded 109,000 while the infection confirmed cases worldwide have also exceeded 1.7mln people.

How Four African countries, including Nigeria are ‘particularly vulnerable’ to COVID-19 - Report

How Four African countries, including Nigeria are ‘particularly vulnerable’ to COVID-19 - Report

Cape Town — South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Sudan are particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19, says a new survey of factors contributing to the risks which the pandemic poses to African nations.

The seven countries of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Chad, Somalia, Uganda, Egypt and the Central African Republic are the next most vulnerable, according to research done by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, DC, a research institution within the United States Department of Defense.

It is worth noting that the top four countries named by the survey as most vulnerable to COVID-19 are all dealing with intransigent conflicts, as are most of the next seven most vulnerable. For years, African scholars and peace advocates have been calling attention to the link between violent conflict and social inequities, and the same combination of factors favors the spread of diseases.

Paralleling the conclusions of African peacebuilding researchers, the survey says that one of nine risk factors – conflict magnitude – magnifies the other risks:

Armed conflict disrupts public health systems in affected areas and limits access to basic goods like food, water, and medical supplies.

The degree of intensity and geographic spread of conflict shapes the level of disruption caused for a society.

Conflict-affected populations are also often starting from higher levels of vulnerability with fewer resource buffers than other populations, making the impact of exposure to an infectious disease all the more severe.

The center’s study evaluates the vulnerability of each of the continent’s nations in nine risk categories: international exposure, the strength of their public health systems, the density of their urban areas, the total population in urban areas, the age of the population, the transparency of their governments, the press freedom they enjoy, levels of conflict and the numbers of displaced people.The other eight risks identified are international exposures, health system weaknesses, urban density, size of urban populations, population age, transparency of governance, press freedom and numbers of displaced peoples.

The risks which the most vulnerable countries face highlights “the importance of trying to identify and limit the spread of the SARS-CoV2 (corona) virus at the early stages, before it becomes entrenched in the high density urban or displaced person areas”, the center says.

Three of the most vulnerable countries – Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan – have made potentially significant progress at conflict resolution, or have had successes despite ongoing conflict. The victory against an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo this year, despite militia activity that killed both United Nations peacekeepers and health workers, was regarded as remarkable among both political and medical analysts. South Sudan negotiated peace between competing armies for control of the government, and ‘people power’ in Sudan toppled a long-lived despotic ruler who had been convicted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

The survey says that the limited exposure of the three countries to international travellers gives them “a brief window to ramp up containment measures”. The hope of reformers and peace activists is that the same popular determination and courageous actions by Africans in each of those nations can be brought to the efforts against COVID-19. Only Nigeria – of the most at-risk countries – has had high rates of international travel. The majority of Nigeria’s identified cases so far were brought across borders by international travelers or Nigerians returning from abroad, or were among people who were exposed to them, who were found through contact tracing.

Key to efforts at containment, says the survey, “will be enhanced and transparent public communications regarding COVID-19, public health guidance, and candid information about what the government is doing and what individuals should do if they exhibit symptoms. For some of these countries, given their constricted space for sharing information, this will require significantly improved levels of transparency and space for independent media.”

Turning to the seven countries next most vulnerable, the center says they, also, among the African countries with less international exposure. But they need to mitigate areas of risk and draw on areas of strength.

The study says that, initially, international exposure, the size of urban populations and a nation’s capacity to test for the virus will determine the number of cases which are reported. It adds that “subsequent stages [in the spread of the virus] are likely to also exploit other vulnerabilities such as weak health systems, densities of urban populations, conflict, size of displaced populations, trust in government, and openness of communications channels”.

The center points to the fact that the number of cases reported, as opposed to the actual numbers of people infected, will depend on the strength of a country’s public health system. “In fact,” it says, “cases of the coronavirus may be widespread elsewhere, though they are not identified and reported.”

Looking beyond nations with relatively higher numbers of reported cases, it says that despite not having Africa’s largest urban populations, countries in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions “appear to be at high risk for severe outbreaks”. It urges that attention be given in those countries to densely- populated cities and towns, to supporting public health systems and being transparent with the public.

” However, each country faces a unique mix of vulnerabilities that will require a customized response.”

” Much remains unknown about the trajectory of the transmission of COVID-19 in Africa. Many fear that with its high levels of poverty, weak health systems, and crowded urban areas, the virus could be particularly devastating. Others hope that with its warmer climate, youthful population, and experience fighting infectious disease, that Africa will be able to avoid the worst of the pandemic.”

” African urban areas are often remarkably densely populated, creating conditions where viruses can spread quickly and undetected in crowded informal settlements. Urban density is characteristic even of relatively sparsely populated countries in the Sahel, where the concentration of human settlements in capital cities creates high levels of vulnerability. A similar pattern is seen in South Sudan, where inhabited areas average 8,730 people per square kilometer. Urban layouts and architectures in these locations are similar to the compacted towns of Spain and Italy, where the virus has hit Europe the hardest to date.”

” Built-up areas across much of Africa have higher population densities than those in Europe and the United States. Influenza transmission rates in India have been found to increase above a population density of 282 people per square kilometer. The density of many built-up areas in Africa is over five times this threshold.”

” Stay-at-home orders will be particularly difficult to maintain in African cities where many residents lack adequate shelter, sanitation, and the monetary means to stock up on supplies and to stop work.”

” Approximately 80 percent of COVID-19 fatalities have been among people over the age of 60. With 70 percent of Africa’s population under the age of 30, Africa’s youth bulge may be a buffer against the most devastating human costs of the disease on the continent.”
” The benefits of a more youthful population, however, will need to be balanced against other underlying health factors facing many African populations such as malaria, malnutrition, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.”

” Refugees and internally displaced populations may be congregated in large camps with inadequate access to water, soap, or sanitation. Health services are often overstretched and inaccessible. The close quarters typical of such settlements greatly facilitates the spread of any infection once it is introduced. Eighty-five percent of Africa’s 25 million forcibly displaced persons are concentrated in 8 countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Cameroon.”

Cape Town — South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Sudan are particularly vulnerable to the spread of COVID-19, says a new survey of factors contributing to the risks which the pandemic poses to African nations.

The seven countries of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Chad, Somalia, Uganda, Egypt and the Central African Republic are the next most vulnerable, according to research done by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, DC, a research institution within the United States Department of Defense.

It is worth noting that the top four countries named by the survey as most vulnerable to COVID-19 are all dealing with intransigent conflicts, as are most of the next seven most vulnerable. For years, African scholars and peace advocates have been calling attention to the link between violent conflict and social inequities, and the same combination of factors favors the spread of diseases.

Paralleling the conclusions of African peacebuilding researchers, the survey says that one of nine risk factors – conflict magnitude – magnifies the other risks:

Armed conflict disrupts public health systems in affected areas and limits access to basic goods like food, water, and medical supplies.

The degree of intensity and geographic spread of conflict shapes the level of disruption caused for a society.

Conflict-affected populations are also often starting from higher levels of vulnerability with fewer resource buffers than other populations, making the impact of exposure to an infectious disease all the more severe.

The center’s study evaluates the vulnerability of each of the continent’s nations in nine risk categories: international exposure, the strength of their public health systems, the density of their urban areas, the total population in urban areas, the age of the population, the transparency of their governments, the press freedom they enjoy, levels of conflict and the numbers of displaced people.The other eight risks identified are international exposures, health system weaknesses, urban density, size of urban populations, population age, transparency of governance, press freedom and numbers of displaced peoples.

The risks which the most vulnerable countries face highlights “the importance of trying to identify and limit the spread of the SARS-CoV2 (corona) virus at the early stages, before it becomes entrenched in the high density urban or displaced person areas”, the center says.

Three of the most vulnerable countries – Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan – have made potentially significant progress at conflict resolution, or have had successes despite ongoing conflict. The victory against an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo this year, despite militia activity that killed both United Nations peacekeepers and health workers, was regarded as remarkable among both political and medical analysts. South Sudan negotiated peace between competing armies for control of the government, and ‘people power’ in Sudan toppled a long-lived despotic ruler who had been convicted of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

The survey says that the limited exposure of the three countries to international travellers gives them “a brief window to ramp up containment measures”. The hope of reformers and peace activists is that the same popular determination and courageous actions by Africans in each of those nations can be brought to the efforts against COVID-19. Only Nigeria – of the most at-risk countries – has had high rates of international travel. The majority of Nigeria’s identified cases so far were brought across borders by international travelers or Nigerians returning from abroad, or were among people who were exposed to them, who were found through contact tracing.

Key to efforts at containment, says the survey, “will be enhanced and transparent public communications regarding COVID-19, public health guidance, and candid information about what the government is doing and what individuals should do if they exhibit symptoms. For some of these countries, given their constricted space for sharing information, this will require significantly improved levels of transparency and space for independent media.”

Turning to the seven countries next most vulnerable, the center says they, also, among the African countries with less international exposure. But they need to mitigate areas of risk and draw on areas of strength.

The study says that, initially, international exposure, the size of urban populations and a nation’s capacity to test for the virus will determine the number of cases which are reported. It adds that “subsequent stages [in the spread of the virus] are likely to also exploit other vulnerabilities such as weak health systems, densities of urban populations, conflict, size of displaced populations, trust in government, and openness of communications channels”.

The center points to the fact that the number of cases reported, as opposed to the actual numbers of people infected, will depend on the strength of a country’s public health system. “In fact,” it says, “cases of the coronavirus may be widespread elsewhere, though they are not identified and reported.”

Looking beyond nations with relatively higher numbers of reported cases, it says that despite not having Africa’s largest urban populations, countries in the Sahel and Great Lakes regions “appear to be at high risk for severe outbreaks”. It urges that attention be given in those countries to densely- populated cities and towns, to supporting public health systems and being transparent with the public.

” However, each country faces a unique mix of vulnerabilities that will require a customized response.”

” Much remains unknown about the trajectory of the transmission of COVID-19 in Africa. Many fear that with its high levels of poverty, weak health systems, and crowded urban areas, the virus could be particularly devastating. Others hope that with its warmer climate, youthful population, and experience fighting infectious disease, that Africa will be able to avoid the worst of the pandemic.”

” African urban areas are often remarkably densely populated, creating conditions where viruses can spread quickly and undetected in crowded informal settlements. Urban density is characteristic even of relatively sparsely populated countries in the Sahel, where the concentration of human settlements in capital cities creates high levels of vulnerability. A similar pattern is seen in South Sudan, where inhabited areas average 8,730 people per square kilometer. Urban layouts and architectures in these locations are similar to the compacted towns of Spain and Italy, where the virus has hit Europe the hardest to date.”

” Built-up areas across much of Africa have higher population densities than those in Europe and the United States. Influenza transmission rates in India have been found to increase above a population density of 282 people per square kilometer. The density of many built-up areas in Africa is over five times this threshold.”

” Stay-at-home orders will be particularly difficult to maintain in African cities where many residents lack adequate shelter, sanitation, and the monetary means to stock up on supplies and to stop work.”

” Approximately 80 percent of COVID-19 fatalities have been among people over the age of 60. With 70 percent of Africa’s population under the age of 30, Africa’s youth bulge may be a buffer against the most devastating human costs of the disease on the continent.”
” The benefits of a more youthful population, however, will need to be balanced against other underlying health factors facing many African populations such as malaria, malnutrition, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.”

” Refugees and internally displaced populations may be congregated in large camps with inadequate access to water, soap, or sanitation. Health services are often overstretched and inaccessible. The close quarters typical of such settlements greatly facilitates the spread of any infection once it is introduced. Eighty-five percent of Africa’s 25 million forcibly displaced persons are concentrated in 8 countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Nigeria, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Cameroon.”

Somalia: The Pentagon's new 'endless war'?

Somalia: The Pentagon's new 'endless war'?

Washington (AFP) - The Pentagon has been issuing near daily announcements of new strikes against the Islamic militants of Shebab in Somalia, seemingly without affecting the Al-Qaeda affiliate's ability to destabilize the country, in what is looking like a new "endless war" for the United States.

The Trump administration's plans to reduce its military presence in Africa while re-centering its efforts toward two key strategic competitors -- China and Russia -- are coming at the expense of French-led operations against jihadists in the Sahel region.

So far, however, the war of attrition against the Shebab has continued unabated.

"Al-Shebab is one of the biggest threats on the continent; they have aspirations to attack the (US) homeland," General Roger Cloutier, commander of US land forces in Africa, recently declared.

"The danger that they pose has to be taken very, very seriously," he said during a recent Pentagon conference call. "So we are focused hard on Al-Shebab."

The US Africa Command (Africom) on Friday announced an air strike on a Shebab target near the town of Qunyo Barrow, in southern Somalia. One Shebab fighter was killed, the statement said.

It was the 20th strike against the Islamist insurgents by US forces in Somalia since the start of the year, after 64 strikes in 2019 and 43 in 2018, according to data from the New America policy center in Washington.

- To 'mow the lawn' -

"The phrase that people use is 'continue to mow the lawn,' right? Pull the weeds," US Defense Secretary Mark Esper explained late last year, in reference to air strikes against jihadists in Libya and Somalia.

"And that means, every now and then you have to do these things to stay on top of it so that a threat doesn't grow, doesn't resurge," he said.

But Shebab militants are estimated to number between 5,000 and 9,000, so even if US forces continued to eliminate one or two of their fighters every day, it could take years to kill them all -- assuming that no replacements are recruited.

That makes it sound a lot like the sort of "endless war" that US President Donald Trump detests.

In a first public report on the US military operation in Somalia published in February, the Pentagon's acting inspector general, Glenn Fine, recalled that part of Africom's stated mission is to ensure that by 2021, Shebab, the Islamic State in Somalia and other terrorist groups have been sufficiently "degraded such that they cannot cause significant harm to US interests."

But, Fine wrote, "despite continued US airstrikes in Somalia and US assistance to African partner forces, Al-Shebab appears to be a growing threat that aspires to strike the US homeland."

The inspector general's office operates independently within the Pentagon.

In fact, on January 5, Shebab militants attacked a US-Kenyan military base in Lamu in southeastern Kenya near the border with Somalia, killing three Americans.

Earlier, on December 28, Shebab fighters led one of the deadliest attacks of the decade in Somalia when a booby-trapped vehicle exploded at a busy checkpoint in the capital Mogadishu, killing 81 people.

- Futile effort? -

Some US officials have expressed concern over the lack of tangible results in a war that many Americans know nothing of, a war waged largely by aerial drones and a small force of elite ground troops.

General Stephen Townsend, Africom's commander, defended the US strategy when questioned in January by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"I don't believe that it's whack-a-mole," or a futile and unwinnable game, he told lawmakers. "We're looking for ways to reduce their capacity wherever we can."

Catherine Besteman of the Watson Institute, a research center at Brown University that each year calculates the cost of US wars, concluded in a report last year that foreign military intervention "has not ameliorated the impact of Al-Shebab activities and, if anything, has augmented its ability to control the local population."

She said that Shebab benefit from a war economy by extorting locals and siphoning off international aid sent to the impoverished country.

Amnesty International has reported that US air strikes have claimed many civilian lives, something the US military has denied.

Amnesty said in a 2019 report that US air strikes -- which it said sometimes indiscriminately targets both Shebab and civilians -- had resulted in the deaths of farmers, workers and even children.

The group accused the US military of showing "appalling disregard for civilians."

Following an internal inquiry, the US forces did admit to responsibility for civilian casualties in one attack: the deaths of a woman and a child in a strike near the central town of El Buur in April 2018.


Source
Washington (AFP) - The Pentagon has been issuing near daily announcements of new strikes against the Islamic militants of Shebab in Somalia, seemingly without affecting the Al-Qaeda affiliate's ability to destabilize the country, in what is looking like a new "endless war" for the United States.

The Trump administration's plans to reduce its military presence in Africa while re-centering its efforts toward two key strategic competitors -- China and Russia -- are coming at the expense of French-led operations against jihadists in the Sahel region.

So far, however, the war of attrition against the Shebab has continued unabated.

"Al-Shebab is one of the biggest threats on the continent; they have aspirations to attack the (US) homeland," General Roger Cloutier, commander of US land forces in Africa, recently declared.

"The danger that they pose has to be taken very, very seriously," he said during a recent Pentagon conference call. "So we are focused hard on Al-Shebab."

The US Africa Command (Africom) on Friday announced an air strike on a Shebab target near the town of Qunyo Barrow, in southern Somalia. One Shebab fighter was killed, the statement said.

It was the 20th strike against the Islamist insurgents by US forces in Somalia since the start of the year, after 64 strikes in 2019 and 43 in 2018, according to data from the New America policy center in Washington.

- To 'mow the lawn' -

"The phrase that people use is 'continue to mow the lawn,' right? Pull the weeds," US Defense Secretary Mark Esper explained late last year, in reference to air strikes against jihadists in Libya and Somalia.

"And that means, every now and then you have to do these things to stay on top of it so that a threat doesn't grow, doesn't resurge," he said.

But Shebab militants are estimated to number between 5,000 and 9,000, so even if US forces continued to eliminate one or two of their fighters every day, it could take years to kill them all -- assuming that no replacements are recruited.

That makes it sound a lot like the sort of "endless war" that US President Donald Trump detests.

In a first public report on the US military operation in Somalia published in February, the Pentagon's acting inspector general, Glenn Fine, recalled that part of Africom's stated mission is to ensure that by 2021, Shebab, the Islamic State in Somalia and other terrorist groups have been sufficiently "degraded such that they cannot cause significant harm to US interests."

But, Fine wrote, "despite continued US airstrikes in Somalia and US assistance to African partner forces, Al-Shebab appears to be a growing threat that aspires to strike the US homeland."

The inspector general's office operates independently within the Pentagon.

In fact, on January 5, Shebab militants attacked a US-Kenyan military base in Lamu in southeastern Kenya near the border with Somalia, killing three Americans.

Earlier, on December 28, Shebab fighters led one of the deadliest attacks of the decade in Somalia when a booby-trapped vehicle exploded at a busy checkpoint in the capital Mogadishu, killing 81 people.

- Futile effort? -

Some US officials have expressed concern over the lack of tangible results in a war that many Americans know nothing of, a war waged largely by aerial drones and a small force of elite ground troops.

General Stephen Townsend, Africom's commander, defended the US strategy when questioned in January by members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"I don't believe that it's whack-a-mole," or a futile and unwinnable game, he told lawmakers. "We're looking for ways to reduce their capacity wherever we can."

Catherine Besteman of the Watson Institute, a research center at Brown University that each year calculates the cost of US wars, concluded in a report last year that foreign military intervention "has not ameliorated the impact of Al-Shebab activities and, if anything, has augmented its ability to control the local population."

She said that Shebab benefit from a war economy by extorting locals and siphoning off international aid sent to the impoverished country.

Amnesty International has reported that US air strikes have claimed many civilian lives, something the US military has denied.

Amnesty said in a 2019 report that US air strikes -- which it said sometimes indiscriminately targets both Shebab and civilians -- had resulted in the deaths of farmers, workers and even children.

The group accused the US military of showing "appalling disregard for civilians."

Following an internal inquiry, the US forces did admit to responsibility for civilian casualties in one attack: the deaths of a woman and a child in a strike near the central town of El Buur in April 2018.


Source

#IS released a new photo series showing its militants getting training in the camp in #Somalia

#IS released a new photo series showing its militants getting training in the camp in #Somalia


#IS has released a new photo series showing its militants getting training in the camp in #Somalia.














Courtesy:  Melisa @cmellaniac


#IS has released a new photo series showing its militants getting training in the camp in #Somalia.














Courtesy:  Melisa @cmellaniac

US Pulling Some Combat Troops Out of Africa

US Pulling Some Combat Troops Out of Africa

By Jeff Seldin

Pentagon — The United States is starting to change its force posture in Africa, announcing it is bringing home part of an infantry brigade and replacing them with specialized military trainers.

Pentagon officials described the move as "the first of many" that will impact the way the U.S. military operates on the continent, as it shifts its focus from counterterrorism to the great power competition.

In a statement Wednesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Alyssa Farah said the move will help the U.S. "better compete with China and Russia in Africa."

Farah said the U.S. will start bringing home combat troops with the Army's 101st Airborne Division in the coming weeks.

In their place, the U.S. will be sending members of the Army's 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) to work with forces in what defense officials called "spotlight" countries.

"SFABs are manned, trained and equipped specifically for the train, advise and assist mission," Farah said in the statement, adding it was a task they could do "more efficiently than conventional units."

Members of the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade previously deployed to Afghanistan to train and advise Afghan security forces.

The move is expected to lower the total number of U.S. forces deployed to Africa, and it comes as Pentagon officials are reviewing plans to reduce the estimated 6,000 U.S. troops in Africa.

The shift also comes as a new U.S. report warns the danger from terrorist groups in Africa is spreading and that many African forces are not ready to take on the terror threat alone.


Read the original article on VOA.
By Jeff Seldin

Pentagon — The United States is starting to change its force posture in Africa, announcing it is bringing home part of an infantry brigade and replacing them with specialized military trainers.

Pentagon officials described the move as "the first of many" that will impact the way the U.S. military operates on the continent, as it shifts its focus from counterterrorism to the great power competition.

In a statement Wednesday, Pentagon Press Secretary Alyssa Farah said the move will help the U.S. "better compete with China and Russia in Africa."

Farah said the U.S. will start bringing home combat troops with the Army's 101st Airborne Division in the coming weeks.

In their place, the U.S. will be sending members of the Army's 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) to work with forces in what defense officials called "spotlight" countries.

"SFABs are manned, trained and equipped specifically for the train, advise and assist mission," Farah said in the statement, adding it was a task they could do "more efficiently than conventional units."

Members of the 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade previously deployed to Afghanistan to train and advise Afghan security forces.

The move is expected to lower the total number of U.S. forces deployed to Africa, and it comes as Pentagon officials are reviewing plans to reduce the estimated 6,000 U.S. troops in Africa.

The shift also comes as a new U.S. report warns the danger from terrorist groups in Africa is spreading and that many African forces are not ready to take on the terror threat alone.


Read the original article on VOA.

IMF, World Bank Consider Somalia Eligible for Assistance Under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative

IMF, World Bank Consider Somalia Eligible for Assistance Under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have considered Somalia eligible for assistance under the enhanced heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative.

The Executive Boards of the IMF and World Bank met, on February 12 and 13, respectively, to consider Somalia’s eligibility for debt relief under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and said the country is qualified.

The HIPC Initiative is a framework, created by the IMF and World Bank, in which all creditors, including multilateral creditors, provide debt relief to the world's poorest and most heavily indebted countries, thereby reducing the constraints on economic growth and poverty reduction imposed by the debt-service burden.

To date, According to the two world financial bodies, 36 countries have reached both their Decision Points and Completion Points under the Enhanced HIPC initiative.

Once Africa war thorn country reached the Completion Point, it would qualify for unconditional debt relief under the HIPC Initiative, and for debt relief under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) from the World Bank's IDA and the African Development Fund (AfDF), together with beyond-HIPC assistance from the IMF.

Paris Club creditors are also expected to provide further beyond-HIPC assistance at the Completion Point.

Prompt action on these items could result in Somalia reaching the Decision Point by the end of March 2020.

Following the IMF Executive Board discussion on Somalia on February 12, 2020, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director and Acting Chair, said:

"Today’s agreement by the IMF Executive Board that Somalia can be eligible for debt relief under the Enhanced HIPC Initiative marks a historic moment. It provides a clear recognition of Somalia’s sustained commitment to key economic and financial reforms under consecutive staff-monitored programs with the IMF. Helping Somalia achieve debt relief and unlock access to the needed resources to increase growth and reduce poverty is a key priority for the IMF. I am very grateful to our members for all their support in this endeavor."

Following the World Bank Executive Board discussion on February 13, 2020, David Malpass, World Bank Group President, said:

“Today was an important step towards Somalia resuming financing from international financial institutions, including IDA, our fund for the poorest countries. I congratulate Somalia for embracing important reforms that can do much to encourage sustainable poverty reduction, and I thank our international partners who have worked with us to bring Somalia to this important stage. We are glad to have worked closely with the Federal Government of Somalia in assisting their progress over the past few years and look forward to opportunities for greater World Bank Group support for the Somali people.”

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank have considered Somalia eligible for assistance under the enhanced heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) initiative.

The Executive Boards of the IMF and World Bank met, on February 12 and 13, respectively, to consider Somalia’s eligibility for debt relief under the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative and said the country is qualified.

The HIPC Initiative is a framework, created by the IMF and World Bank, in which all creditors, including multilateral creditors, provide debt relief to the world's poorest and most heavily indebted countries, thereby reducing the constraints on economic growth and poverty reduction imposed by the debt-service burden.

To date, According to the two world financial bodies, 36 countries have reached both their Decision Points and Completion Points under the Enhanced HIPC initiative.

Once Africa war thorn country reached the Completion Point, it would qualify for unconditional debt relief under the HIPC Initiative, and for debt relief under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI) from the World Bank's IDA and the African Development Fund (AfDF), together with beyond-HIPC assistance from the IMF.

Paris Club creditors are also expected to provide further beyond-HIPC assistance at the Completion Point.

Prompt action on these items could result in Somalia reaching the Decision Point by the end of March 2020.

Following the IMF Executive Board discussion on Somalia on February 12, 2020, Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director and Acting Chair, said:

"Today’s agreement by the IMF Executive Board that Somalia can be eligible for debt relief under the Enhanced HIPC Initiative marks a historic moment. It provides a clear recognition of Somalia’s sustained commitment to key economic and financial reforms under consecutive staff-monitored programs with the IMF. Helping Somalia achieve debt relief and unlock access to the needed resources to increase growth and reduce poverty is a key priority for the IMF. I am very grateful to our members for all their support in this endeavor."

Following the World Bank Executive Board discussion on February 13, 2020, David Malpass, World Bank Group President, said:

“Today was an important step towards Somalia resuming financing from international financial institutions, including IDA, our fund for the poorest countries. I congratulate Somalia for embracing important reforms that can do much to encourage sustainable poverty reduction, and I thank our international partners who have worked with us to bring Somalia to this important stage. We are glad to have worked closely with the Federal Government of Somalia in assisting their progress over the past few years and look forward to opportunities for greater World Bank Group support for the Somali people.”

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