Year: 2024

  China calls on the international community, especially major countries with influence, to play a constructive role and avoid further turmoil in the Middle East, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.    On Oct. 1 Beijing time, Israel launched ground offensive in southern Lebanon. In the early morning of Oct. 2, Iran launched military attack against Israel. China is deeply concerned over the turmoil in the Middle East, said the spokesperson, pointing out that China opposes the violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and opposes moves that fuel antagonism and escalate tensions.  China believes that the protracted fighting in Gaza is the root cause of this round of turmoil in the Middle East, and all parties need to work urgently for a comprehensive and lasting ceasefire, the spokesperson added.   Source: Xinhua, Agencies

  NAIROBI(Baidao Star) As crop diseases and pests rise in Kenya amid a rapidly changing climate that has been characterized by extreme weather patterns that include heavy rains and lengthy dry and cold periods, Kenyan small farmers are finding respite in avocados.  The crop, which is resilient to the effects of climate change, has found favor with smallholders in the East African nation as it gives them a much reliable option. Unlike other crops grown in Kenya, avocados can be farmed in many parts of the nation, from the central region to the west and south. These regions have different climatic conditions, but the crop is adaptable in most.    The adaptability, coupled with their huge market both locally and abroad, has made avocados the crop of choice for small farmers keen to earn from their agribusinesses despite the unpredictable weather pattern. In some counties in Kenya, farmers have uprooted other crops like coffee and tea to grow avocados. In Murang’a, central Kenya, for instance, many farms that initially hosted tea, coffee and horticultural crops are now dotted with avocados mainly grown for export. Farmers switched to avocados after they realized their coffee and tea bushes were being affected in particular by frequent dry and cold spells, leading to low yields. “With avocados, you don’t worry whether there is a dry or cold spell because the fruits will still thrive,” said Bernard Ng’ang’a, a farmer. The crop, according to him, is also less attacked by common pests like mealybugs and diseases that ravage other crops, but one has to guard against fruit flies.  The pests have become aggressive on Kenyan farms, emboldened by dry periods that favor their multiplication. Ng’ang’a, as many other farmers across Kenya, grows the Hass avocado variety, which he sells to exporting agents who ship the fruits to Europe, America, Middle East, and China. “From an acre of avocados, one earns at least 500,000 shillings (about 4,541 U.S. dollars) in a good season,” said Ng’ang’a. Besides its resilience and wide market, many small farmers in Kenya have also embraced avocados because they can grow them alongside other crops like beans, maize and onions. ” In case one crop fails, they harvest the other, which is a climate-smart way of farming,” said Beatrice Macharia of Growth Point, an agro-consultancy in Kajiado County.    The embracing of the crop has handed a huge market to seedlings’ propagators, who sell them in the thousands. Isaac Kinale, who propagates avocados in Murang’a County, noted that the market is insatiable. “We graft traditional and Hass varieties to end up with hardy seedlings that each goes for 1.82 dollars.  While the traditional varieties are resistant to pests and diseases and erratic weather, the Hass variety yields more. Farmers thus end up with quality fruits,” said Kinale. The Avocado Society of Kenya (ASK) noted that fruits grown in the country are loved globally because they are farmed naturally under the equatorial sunshine. Kenya is an important exporter of avocados globally, with 85 percent of the fruits grown by smallholders.  The East African nation’s avocado exports rose 15 percent to 68,000 metric tonnes as of October 2020, according to the Fresh Produce Exporters Association of Kenya, earning the country 127 million dollars.  Source:xinhua

The African Union was studying a request from Somalia Thursday to slow down the withdrawal of its forces deployed in the country against Islamist militants, officials from the body said. Al-Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda-affiliated group, has been waging a deadly insurgency against the fragile central government in Somalia for more than 17 years.  UN resolutions called for forces in the African Union peacekeeping mission, known as ATMIS, to be reduced to zero by December 31 through several withdrawal phases, handing over security to the Somali army and police. The third and penultimate phase was to see the departure of 4,000 soldiers by the end of June.  However, an AU official who requested anonymity told AFP that in May, the Somali government asked the organisation’s Peace and Security Council (PSC) to extend the presence of half of the troops by three months. The government wants only 2,000 men to leave in June and the other 2,000 in September, the official said, adding that Mogadishu had put forward the need to carry out an “offensive operation”. At present, 13,500 ATMIS soldiers are deployed in Somalia.  Meeting on Thursday in Addis Ababa, the PSC was expected to give a favourable response, said the source. “The PSC will discuss on Thursday the (Somali) request to slow down the reduction in the number of ATMIS troops by a few months,” an AU diplomat, who also requested anonymity, told AFP. But any extension would lead to budgetary problems, he said, and a change would not be “just a decision by the PSC”. ATMIS derives its mandate from the AU but must also be authorised by the UN Security Council. In addition, ATMIS’ main direct financial contributor is the European Union, which has released 70 million euros ($75 million) for 2024.  Comprising troops from Burundi, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, ATMIS supports the Somali army, which has been fighting Al-Shabaab for over 17 years. Although driven out of the capital by AU forces in 2011, Al-Shabaab still has a strong presence in rural Somalia. It has carried out repeated attacks against political, security and civilian targets, mostly in Somalia but also in neighbouring countries including Kenya. Last week in southern Somalia, Al-Shabaab planted a roadside bomb that killed six soldiers including a senior military commander.  Source – AFP

  During a recent exclusive interview with Somali National TV, His Excellency Pier Mario Daccò Coppi, the Italian Ambassador to Somalia, emphasized the robust and deep-rooted bilateral relationship between Italy and Somalia.  The conversation highlighted the rich history of cooperation and examined future collaboration opportunities to enhance Somalia’s economic and security sectors Ambassador Daccò Coppi reaffirmed Italy’s commitment to Somalia, noting significant support across various sectors, including infrastructure, energy, the blue economy, and mining.  He emphasized that while these areas hold immense growth potential, ensuring security remains paramount for driving sustainable development. The Ambassador revealed that Italy, in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and funded by the Italian Agency for Cooperation, has launched initiatives to establish support centers for small and medium-sized enterprises in Mogadishu, Kismayo, and Baidoa.  These centers are designed to foster entrepreneurship and economic growth. Additionally, Italy is facilitating Somali entrepreneurs’ participation in international trade fairs through dedicated funding, further strengthening private sector ties between the two nations.  On the security front, Ambassador Daccò Coppi outlined Italy’s substantial contributions, including military support through the European Training Mission for Somali Armed Forces, leadership of the EUCAP mission to enhance police and maritime security, and scholarships for Somali cadets at Italian academies.  Italian forces have also been actively involved in training Somali police in Djibouti. The Ambassador also announced the imminent finalization of a memorandum of understanding between Somali school management and Italy’s National School of Administration, aimed at boosting educational collaboration. He highlighted Italy’s recent donation of four Bell 412EPX helicopters to Somalia to support security and peace efforts against terrorism.  Furthermore, 22 Somali students have been awarded scholarships to study in Italy, and the restoration of Casa d’Italia is underway to celebrate cultural heritage. Ambassador Daccò Coppi also revealed Italy’s support for the TPSS project, committing €4 million for the initial phase and a second phase of €20 million to enhance infrastructure, capacity building, public services, and economic growth in Somalia.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohammad had a special meeting with his heights in China  Beijing, September 4, 2024; The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, today held bilateral talks with the President of China, Mr. Xi Jinping, at the Beijing Presidency.  The two presidents agreed to promote the diplomatic relations between the two countries of China and Somalia, and to reach a high level of strategic cooperation and how to promote the cooperation of the different parties that are of interest to the two peoples.  President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud emphasized the policy of the two countries based on the support and support of the territorial unity of the two countries, which each country holds for the other, in accordance with the international rules of sovereignty and governance.  The President of the Republic of China, Mr. Xi Jinping, noted China’s commitment to strengthen cooperation with his country, the Republic of Somalia, especially in the areas of economic development, investment in life and business infrastructure, food security and climate change. President Xi also announced a donation of 200 million yuan to support priority projects in Somalia.

  Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre met his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo Cairo, Saturday 31 August 2024: The Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mr. Hamsa Abdi Barre, met in Cairo with his Egyptian counterpart, Mr. Mustafa Madbouly.  This meeting was focused on how to strengthen the relationship and historical cooperation between Somalia and Egypt. The two Prime Ministers discussed issues of security, development, trade and cooperation in various fields.  The Prime Minister of Somalia stressed the importance of strengthening the relationship between the two countries, underlining that the strengthening of historical relations is important for both countries.  He also expressed how important it is to create strong cooperation in the field of security, in order to face the challenges and common threats in the region, especially in the fight against dangerous groups such as criminals.  Mr. Hamsa thanked Egypt for its support, especially the educational grants that benefit Somali students. For his part, the Prime Minister of Egypt, Mr. Mustafa Madbouly, stressed that Egypt is ready to strengthen its support to Somalia, especially in the areas of economic development, security, and social issues.  He also expressed Egypt’s commitment to continue providing scholarships to Somali students, as part of the traditional relationship between the two countries.