Djibouti News Gazette

Mogadishu(SONNA)-President of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hassan Sh. Mohamud on Friday congratulated the public of the first day of the occasion of Eid-fitri after completing 29 days fasting of the holy month of Ramadan. The President sent a special congratulation to army chiefs, officers, soldiers and families of the Somali National Army ensuring the security during Ramadan. The Eid Mubarak was marked in the capital Mogadishu and through out the country well.

Source: Somali National News Agency

The use of toy guns has been a hotly debated topic for years, with many arguing that it contributes to a culture of violence and undermines our values as a community. Somalia, a country with a long history of violence, is a prime example of the devastating impact of guns on society. Despite this, the tradition of giving children toy guns during festivals persists. But is this practice harmless? Or does it have more significant consequences that we are ignoring? Firstly, it is important to acknowledge the role that toys play in shaping a child’s perception of the world. Children are impressionable and absorb information from their surroundings at an alarming rate. Giving them toy guns normalizes violence and may lead them to believe that using guns is an acceptable way to solve problems. This sets a dangerous precedent and may lead to a cycle of violence that perpetuates from one generation to the next. Moreover, it is essential to understand that Somalia’s history of violence and the proliferation of firearms have had a profound impact on the country’s socio-economic and political stability. According to a report by the United Nations, the widespread availability of weapons has made it difficult to create a peaceful environment in the country. The report further states that the ‘proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Somalia remains a critical challenge, perpetuating insecurity, political instability, and displacement.’ Given this reality, the continued practice of giving children toy guns is not only insensitive but also counterproductive. It reinforces a culture of violence and undermines efforts to promote peace and stability in the country. So what can be done to address this crisis? One possible solution is to encourage parents and caregivers to provide their children with toys that promote peaceful and positive values. This could include books, puzzles, or even board games that encourage problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Additionally, schools and community centers can organize events that focus on non-violent conflict resolution and teach children how to handle conflicts without resorting to violence. Ultimately, it is up to us as a society to take responsibility for the messages we send to our children. By refraining from giving them toy guns and instead promoting a culture of peace, we can help break the cycle of violence that has plagued Somalia for decades. It’s time for us to take action and prioritize the well-being of our children and our communities.

Source: Somali National News Agency

Kenya and the United States of America have successfully completed the second round of negotiations on Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership (STIP), an agreement that aims to strengthen the two countries bilateral and investment relations. Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria said a lot of progress has been made in the negotiations, an indication that both states are committed to enhancing trade between the two countries. He said the partnership also aims at boosting trade and investment relations through anchoring the same in a formal binding bilateral agreement. ‘There is significant progress in several areas of coverage which include digital trade, services domestic regulations, standards collaboration, micro small and medium enterprises, labour, agriculture, women and youth and anti-corruption measures,’ said Mr Kuria. The CS said the areas of focus will help to create a more conducive environment for trade and investment thereby boosting economies in both countries. Mr Kuria added that the Kenya government has made the process participatory by engaging all stakeholders. The CS was speaking on Thursday evening at a Nairobi hotel during a communiqué on the status of the STIP negotiations while in the company of Ms Constance Hamilton, Assistant United States Trade Representative for Africa and Chief Negotiator for the USA, Principal Secretary Trade Alfred K’Ombudo, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Kenya Ambassador David Gacheru and negotiators from the two countries. He commended the US team for their hard work, commitment and for sharing texts in the areas of Agriculture, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Anti-corruption and Services Domestic Regulation. ‘There is need to move forward conceptual engagements on environment, trade facilitation and customs procedures and good regulatory practices into text-based negotiations,’ added the CS. Kuria also suggested that the remaining areas of negotiations be text-based negotiations due to the tight timelines, noting that the Kenya government has prioritised the conclusion of the negotiation by December 2023. ‘We recognise that time if of the essence, and we are fully committed to ensuring that our people enjoy the benefits of this agreement as soon as possible,’ he stated. The CS said to enhance trade and investment in the counties, the government will put in place Export Processing Zones (EPZ) in Eldoret and Busia and promised that next week he will gazette the establishment of EPZs in Murang’a, Sagana and Nakuru to boost the country’s economy at both the national and county level. He at the same time urged Governors to safeguard the investments the government is setting at the counties. The US chief negotiators team has been in the country from April 17 to 21, 2023 for the second round of STIP negotiations with the Kenya team. The current existing framework of AGOA is set to expire hence the need for adoption of a longer term and to secure bilateral trade agreement.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Bungoma County government has signed a Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the government of Finland that will see the County receive over Sh700 million towards prevention of gender based violence in the region. The three-year bilateral programme aimed at strengthening, preventing and responding to Gender related Violence (GBV) incidents in Bungoma. The signing was officiated by Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa, Governor Kenneth Lusaka and Finland’s ambassador to Kenya Pirkka Tapiola at Kibabii University According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022 report, Bungoma County takes the lead in Gender Based Violence cases at 60% and also leads in teenage pregnancies. According to CS Jumwa, there has been a sharp increase in violations against the rights of women, men, boys and girls since COVID 19 outbreak. She said that the trend has continued way beyond the climax outbreak period and the rise of intimate partner violence is of greater concern now more than ever. The CS said that the bilateral programme seeks to leverage on inter-country and national innovative approaches to end GBV and invest more on community-based home drawn solutions. ‘The aim is not to just increase reporting but to ensure communities understand individual and community cost of any form of GBV and the legal and policy implications of perpetrators and supporting systems.’ The CS stated In addition, the CS stated that duty bearer coordination gaps identified through the inception of the phase will be key to better reporting, improved prevention interventions and more effective responsive plans. Ambassador Tapiola indicated that the programme was officially launched before the outbreak of Covid 19 targeting the three counties of Bungoma, Kilifi and Samburu. Anne Ndiema from Mt Elgon who is a GBV champion, pointed out the adverse effects of FGM on women’s health including fistula and complications while giving birth. She appealed to the county government to build a rehabilitation centre for affected victims to go back to school. KDHS figures shows that 34% of women in Kenya have experienced physical violence since age fifteen compared to 27% of men. The findings further indicated that Bungoma led in the number of women who experienced physical and sexual violence GBV incidences at 62%. Governor Lusaka stated that the bilateral programme offers a unique and collaborative model between the two levels of government and reaches out to members of communities in ensuring that families and communities are safe. Also at the function were Bungoma Woman Representative Catherine Wambilianga and Township Member of County Assembly Jeremiah Kuloba.

Source: Kenya News Agency

Seychelles’ finance ministry has set up a customer feedback service to allow more interaction with its budget dependent entities such as the Procurement Oversight Unit Seychelles (POU) and the National Tender Board.

The principal information and communications officer, Lindy Vital, explained the new mechanism to the press on Wednesday morning.

Other entities under the ministry affected by the new policy are the Seychelles Revenue Commission (SRC), the Fair Trading Commission (FTC), the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) and the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Vital revealed that the online form is part of a feedback policy now in place.

The feedback form is available online at www.finance.gov.sc

She said the form will be available on these entities’ web pages as well as in copies at the Liberty House entrance “as we understand that some people prefer physical copies to just doing things online.”

“Members of the public with any feedback can go directly to the website and fill in the form which is then submitted to a specific email address,” she added.

Vital said that any feedback the Ministry gets through the online form will go to a specific email address which means one person will have access to it.

“It will then be the person’s responsibility according to our policy to follow the progress of the feedback sent and forward to the appropriate officers should there be a need,” she added.

In order to lodge feedback to the ministry, individuals will have to provide their names, addresses, national identification numbers, telephone numbers and e-mail addresses they are using.

“We will not be entertaining any feedback from third parties,” Vital warned.

The ministry is also giving the officer forwarding the feedback two days to acknowledge receipt and start work on the feedback – be it a compliment or a complaint.

Vital also told the press that the ministry will respond to feedback according to the laws governing it and added that “we are hoping that this new policy will encourage people to talk to us and vice versa.”

Source: Seychelles News Agency