GERMAN AND SOMALI FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET

On the occasion of the Migration Conference in Rome, German Foreign Minister Steinmeier met Somali Foreign Minister Beileh on 29 November 2014. They discussed developments on the Horn of Africa and in Somalia.

Minister Beileh briefed the German Minister on domestic developments in Somalia and the process of stabilization and democratization. German Foreign Minister Steinmeier expressed the ongoing German support to peace, stability and reconstruction Somalia.

He underlined the importance of unity and cooperation. Germany has allocated more than €100 million to development cooperation with Somalia. It also provides humanitarian assistance.

There is cooperation in the area of constitutional reform and reconciliation, and Germany also actively supports the EU mission to train Somali security forces.

AL-SHABAAB SUSPECTS

Somali leaders' ongoing dispute, chaos at parliament frustrate citizens

Somali citizens said they are feeling anxious and frustrated about the country's political progress after the parliament devolved into chaos Monday (November 24th) for the third time in two weeks. A political feud between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed has triggered unrest, spilling over into parliament on three separate occasions as lawmakers attempted to debate a no-confidence motion against the prime minister.

In the latest attempt Monday, lawmakers supporting Ahmed once again disrupted the session by shouting, chanting and holding placards expressing their opposition to the motion, forcing Speaker of Parliament Mohamed Osman Jawari to walk out. Jawari later said the no-confidence motion would not be brought back to the floor for debate until lawmakers find a way to resolve their differences without causing widespread disorder in the Chamber.

In a statement released after parliament's session was adjourned, Ahmed called the motion to oust him unconstitutional and an obstacle to the country's progress towards implementing its Vision 2016 goals. He said the "minor reshuffle" he announced October 25th was intended to improve the performance of the cabinet and "arose out of a need to resolve the conflict between the judiciary and the ministry of justice as well as other concerns within the finance and foreign affairs ministries".

"The motion, which is regarded by a majority of parliamentarians and members of the public as illegal and driven by corruption, has brought about deep division within the House and other institutions at a time when it is important to maintain the unity of our leadership, institutions and our people," Ahmed said.

Progress stifled by political feud But a month into this conflict, citizens and analysts say it is time for the country's leaders to set aside their personal and political differences and work together for the benefit of the people. Omer Ibrahim, a 38-year-old Mogadishu resident, told Sabahi he fears the leadership's public spat will give al-Shabaab an opportunity to re-group and carry out deadly attacks. "You can immediately see the security concern that is present," he told Sabahi.

 "During the days the conflict has been ongoing, there have been successive assassinations in the city." "We are tired of having a president, prime minister and speaker of parliament who are fighting," Ibrahim said. "It is now time to combat the enemy of Somalia, and to present unity and collaboration." Progress cannot be realised when there are leaders who will not work together, said Association for Somali Youth Unity secretary general Mukhtar Haji Kastaro. "I call on them to fear God and uphold their oaths," he told Sabahi.

"When you look at the causes of the conflict, you see personal and clan interests. It is necessary to move beyond of all that and stand for saving Somalia." "Somalia's nationhood has to be bigger than anything else," he said. "I am calling on the president and the prime minister to display compromise and have mercy on the public." Salaam University student Abdirizak Hassan Shine, 24, called the political situation "unfortunate" and said a prolonged political stalemate at this critical time could endanger the progress the government has achieved to date.

"It is truly shocking to hear about such [conflicts] at a time when you expect the country to be on the path to progress," he told Sabahi. "Each person will be remembered in history for what he did for this country. I am sure that those who waste their time in office in conflict will one day be held accountable for the time of the Somali people they wasted.

" Shine called on the traditional elders and intellectuals to intervene to help resolve the conflict. Somalia's democratic elections 'at risk' Political analysts say the ongoing public row between the president and prime minister could derail Somalia from holding its first democratic election since 1967. Infighting among government leaders will not lead Somalia out of its present troubles but will derail its future, said Mogadishu University political science professor Abdikarim Daud.

"Every time you hear there is a conflict among the top leaders, you immediately see a bad sign for the future of Somalia," he told Sabahi, adding that problems should be resolved through "understanding and dialogue". Commenting on parliament's role in finding a solution, Daud criticised lawmakers for making the situation worse and not taking the appropriate steps to impartially review the issues before taking sides. "They accused the prime minister of failing to perform his duties, but no one asked the prime minister any questions and he was not given a chance to defend himself," he said.

A campaign to impeach the prime minister was initiated immediately after the disagreement, he added, indicating a possible personal agenda on the part of some lawmakers. "The other [lawmakers] who are against sacking the prime minister have also been engaged in the same kind of organising," he said. "If they are unable to defend him, they will do whatever they can to accomplish their aims, and this includes the chaos.

" Lawmakers could have set a disturbing precedent in Somali politics, with every group that disagrees with something setting aside the law and using noise and chaos to defeat rival groups, said Somali and American Fund for Education (SAFE) director Abdirahman Moalim Ahmed Ablal.

"The parliament's leadership should have considered [the differing] opinions before the motion was presented, and once it was presented, it should have used the rules and powers the law gives it," he said. "The parliament is the most important institution in a government that can make changes and provide clarity," he said.

 "However, I think it will take time for us to learn perseverance and adhere to the laws on the books, considering what we have been through." Working together for Somalia Ablal called on Somalia's leaders to put aside their personal and political differences and work together to achieve their goals and deliver their promises to the Somali people.

"Conflict is neither in the interest of the nation or the public, and it is not good for the reputation and the honour of the country," he said. "If this conflict continues, it will be difficult to extract the country from the current hardship or to achieve and reap the benefits of Vision 2016, because it will be hard for the leaders to do the difficult work before them if there is suspicion between them and a lack of collaboration."

"I think instead of facing off in a stalemate, the leaders should be cognizant of the current reality and make a unified decision and refrain from using [nonexistent] powers against one another until we can have parties that divide things according to majority status," Ablal said.

South African charity prioritizes orphans and disabled people

The South Africa-based humanitarian organization, Gift of the Givers which has been active in Somalia for the past several years, has now turned most of its attentions to caring street children, orphans and those living with disability to inspire changes in their lives.

The aid group, which is believed to be the largest charity in Africa, has started special programme which mainly targets some of the community’s most vulnerable people after it took over two main centres which hold hundreds of orphans and street children providing them with food and basic education.

  “We have been operating in different areas in the country, but the kind of campaign is mainly intended to make concrete changes in the lives of these children and as well as disabled peoples” said a charity staffer Said Ibrahim Hussein, who is also a long-serving vice president of Somali Sports Press Association.

On the other hand, Gift of the Givers has distributed wheelchairs to several hundred disabled persons who were very much in need of such equipment. According to the charity’s logistics official who issued a press statement on Monday evening, a long-term medication program was set for those living with disability and cannot afford to pay for their medicines, as they have been living on less than a dollar per day.

  “We reach out to nearly a thousand people including children and disabled persons at least twice in each week—we have now drawn new plans to spread our humanitarian operations to the southern Lower Jubba region” Mr. Said Ibrahim Hussein explained in his press statement. The Gift of the Givers was active in Somalia since Tsunami hit parts of the country in 2005, but extended its Somalia mission in 2011 in reaction to what the United Nations described as the worst draughts in Somalia for decades.

UAFA president vows greater cooperation with Somalia

The President elected of the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA) H.E Turki Bin Khalid Bin Faisal Al Saud, has announced a new era of cooperation with Somali Football Federation.

The UAFA leader made the cooperation pledge during a brief talk with Somali Football Federation President Abdiqani Said Arab, at the end of UAFA election congress here in Riyad, the capital of Saudi Arabia on Friday evening.

SFF president, Abdiqani Said Arab, congratulated H.E Turki Bin Khalid Bin Faisal Al Saud, on his election as the president of the football’s governing body of the Arab world.

“The president was very pleased with Somalia’s appearances at football-related gatherings across the world and in particularly that of UAFA” SFF president Abdiqani Said Arab told the media after the congress ended on Friday evening.

The elected president of the Union of Arab Football Associations, H.E Turki Bin Khalid Bin Faisal Al Saud, on his side lauded for the recent election congress of Somali Football Federation, which brought in, Mr. Abdiqani Said Arab as the president of SFF.

Somali President: Progress will continue, with a priority on Vision 2016, for the good of Somalia

The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, HE Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the ‘one Somalia’ delegation yesterdat returned to Mogadishu after attending the High Level Partnership Forum in Copenhagen, Denmark. Reflecting on the two-day meeting which was called to affirm progress against the milestones set out in the New Deal Somali Compact, acknowledge challenges and discuss next steps together with Somalia’s international partners, the President commented, “I thank the Government of Denmark for hosting the HLPF Copenhagen, and the United Nations for co-chairing the Meeting.

 I am enormously energised by the discussions we have had. I thank the 59 delegations that travelled to Copenhagen to join us and reaffirm their commitment to the Somali Compact. “We have much ahead of us. Political progress will continue, and pick up pace. There is still significant work remaining to complete key tasks and cement emerging activities.

” Over the next year, the Federal Government will prioritise tasks that are critical to ensuring a smooth and timely realisation of political objectives outlined in Vision 2016: a revised and endorsed Constitution, a federal system, and democratic elections. Government and Parliament will focus in the coming months on ensuring no further delays to ensuring the establishment of the key institutions and processes to ensure the achievement of Vision 2016 and pave the way to long-term peace, stability and reconciliation, Freeing the remainder of Somalia from terrorist and militant groups is critical, and ensuring that stabilisation activities follow in close succession to liberation will be instrumental in connecting citizens to the government and enabling local governance initiatives take root in different corners of Somalia.

Development progress is essential to ensure that security and stabilisation gains are translated into long-term, tangible benefits for Somalis, across Somalia.

The President acknowledged the contribution of AMISOM, which is working together with the Somali National Army to secure the peace of Somalia. The President paid tribute to the friends of Somalia who gathered at the Meeting, expressing his gratitude for funding and technical support, and welcomed concern for Somalia’s future.

“Whilst we may sometimes differ on the small details, I think it is true to say that we all agree on the big issue that is at the heart of this meeting: that success in Somalia will be ultimately be measured by the impact on the life of Somali people. “On behalf of Somalia, I reaffirm our choice of peace. We reaffirm that reconciliation- the path that we have chosen – will be won through dialogue, through inclusive politics, through clearly defined roles and responsibilities, through a commitment to timely delivery on priority activities, and through creating a shared vision of what Somalia can be in the future,” the President concluded.

AMISOM and Humanitarian actors launch the Somalia Country Specific Guidelines

The African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) together with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) today launched the Somalia Country Specific Guidelines to govern relations on civil-military coordination in Somalia.

The Somalia Country Specific Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Guidelines were launched at a ceremony attended by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC) for Somalia and AMISOM Head of Mission, Ambassador Maman S. Sidikou and the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Somalia, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (DSRSG/RC/HC) – Mr. Philippe Lazzarini.

The guidelines aim to establish agreed principles and practices for constructive civil-military relations between AMISOM and humanitarian actors, operating within the same environment in Somalia.

Speaking during the ceremony, the SRCC reiterated the commitment of AMISOM to provide conducive environment for humanitarian assistance to reach the Somali people. “AMISOM is mandated by the UN Security Council to provide a safe environment that facilitates timely delivery of humanitarian aid. This has been done and we will continue to provide all the necessary support to humanitarian agencies.

I would like to see humanitarian efforts have a lasting impact on the Somali people, especially the women and children. They cannot wait another day for help,” he said. Mr. Lazzarini added that such guidelines are very important in ensuring better structured relations and in turn more effective aid delivery.

“The relationship between humanitarian agencies and AMISOM is very important. These guidelines will ensure better, mutual, understanding and better implementation of our respective mandates,” he noted.

TEDx Mogadishu lights up Somali Capital again

For the third year running, Tedx Mogadishu today returned to the Somali capital in a lively debated dubbed ‘Mogadishu Rising’ held at the picturesque Ocean View restaurant along the city’s famous Lido Beach.

The event attracted a variety of speakers from all walks of life who all came to speak about Mogadishu, peace and the growing optimism in Somalia. This year’s TEDx Mogadishu was sponsored through a private-public partnership; speakers included Mogadishu Deputy Mayor Iman Aar, social media maverick and Mogadishu resident Zahra Qorane, who has made it her personal mission to help change the negative perceptions Mogadishu and Somalia through positive pictures and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Nick Kay, among others.

Ilwad Iman, a Somali youth activist who co-hosted the event, said Tedx Mogadishu was stirring discussions among the people of Mogadishu. “What TEDx Mogadishu does, it actually brings people together – it allows people to just sit back and listen to what’s actually happening and to have an opportunity to interact with like-minded individuals.

We haven’t had a space like that in more than two decades and I think that’s why it’s met with optimism and such excitement every single time TEDx is in town, because they want to hear ‘what’s happening in my city and how can I be a part of this great change?’.

” SRSG Kay encouraged the Somali youth to continue to build messages of optimism and progress, through which they could overcome many of the challenges the country continues to face. “This is a very uplifting and encouraging event in a room full of very educated and very bright, energetic, mostly young Somalis – so they are very very united and their optimism about Mogadishu rising and Somalia rising,” SRSG Kay said.

Turkish company transfers $1.582,000 to Somali Government as port revenue of a month

Tukish Albayrak Group, which manages the port of Mogadishu issued on Tuesday a statement about the achievements, has been accomplished in the past month.

Director General of the Al-Bayrak Group in Mogadishu, Mustafa Levent Adali said in the report that the Mogadishu seaport was making significant progress during the last month. Mustafa Levent Adali added that the Albayrak Group have transferred $1.582,000 million dollars to the federal government of Somalia, which he said is a huge progress was made ​​during in one month.

The Al-Bayrak Group‘s report noted that the economic development of the Mogadishu port came without increasing the cost of the merchandise, but also reduced more than 11%. Director general of the Al-Bayrak Group has shown that the income of the port will increase further in the near future, and the seaport will soon be modern.

At the end of September, the Turkish company took over the port of Mogadishu, Which created a stir in some circles port workers, as well as parliament rejected this company in April 2014. Al-Bayrak Gpoup is expected to be tabled before Somali parliament again, and it seems to win to manage the Mogadishu port, which is believed to be a spoil of income, that little was delivered to the government fund. Since August 2012, Al-Bayrak Group has been conducted much work towards rehabilitating the Port of Mogadishu and is still continuing.

Albayrak Group, had promised that without any conditions, they would be transferring 55% of the revenue from the Port to Somali government, as for the 45% revenue, which is left in the Group’s administration; it is reserved for the international promotion directed at increasing machine equipment investments, construction investments, new docks and port-based trade.

Mogadishu residents bemoan electricity service costs

The merger aimed to streamline electricity provision and upgrade the grid in the capital city, but since the merger, Mogadishu residents have been complaining about the high cost of services and say they want the government to intervene. Before the merger, each household paid only for the electricity they consumed, but now BECO has issued a new minimum rate of $10 for each service location.

For many residents who rely on remittances from abroad, the new fees are prohibitive. Maryam Abdi Gutale, 34, a mother of five, said her electricity was cut off when she failed to pay her $89 bill on time. Standing at one of the BECO centres in Hamar Weyne Market, she said the company had refused to restore her electricity because of her late payment.

"My family survives on remittances from abroad, and sometimes it comes late," she told Sabahi. "The problem I am facing now is that I have already paid the money, but they have refused to restore my electricity, because the company told me that I have broken the rule that every person has to pay the bill within the first five days of each month or they will be without electricity."

"We are suffering due to the high rate and the lack of an alternative company that provides this service in the city," she said. BECO provides electricity services to the entire city of Mogadishu except for government agencies, telecommunications companies and major hotels that own private electric generators. Mohamed Hussein Salad, a 42-year-old business owner who returned to Mogadishu in June after living in the United Kingdom for 15 years, said the high cost of electricity is negatively impacting his ability to create jobs.

Salad opened the Barrow Ice Factory, which serves hotels, restaurants and traders who then resell the ice in neighbourhoods. Every month he spends between $500 and $600 each on electricity, which he said cuts into his profits and limits his ability to reinvest and expand his business.

"Our company uses its own electric generators, but we use the electricity when we have to turn off the generators and the cost we are charged for that use is too high," he said. Infrastructure improvements BECO operations manager Isse Mohamed said the cost of electricity remains high in Mogadishu because it is produced through generators that require diesel fuel, which also makes them more vulnerable to fluctuating costs of oil in the market. Adding to the costs, he said, is the work the company is undertaking to rebuild the infrastructure needed to reliably distribute electricity throughout the city.

Since the companies merged, he said, large diesel generators have been placed in every neighbourhood, and new vehicles enable company employees to quickly respond to the needs of the people. BECO also organised loose wires that had posed a safety hazard, particularly during wet weather, and has introduced electricity poles, Mohamed said. "We have reduced the cost of electricity in some locations by 30%," Mohamed told Sabahi, adding that the company charges between $1 and $1.30 per kilowatt, depending on the neighbourhood.

  "Some neighbourhoods, such as around the presidential compound and KM-4, are densely populated and the cost of living is high, but the cost is lower in the sparsely populated areas," he said. Despite the infrastructure improvements, the electricity companies' merger could result in problems for the public, said professor Ali Yasin Ali, who teaches business research at Somalia University and SIMAD University.

  Forcing customers to pay a high rate for electricity they have not used and to incur the cost of basic equipment such as the company's electricity metre to get service can be too burdensome for many consumers, he said. If the company continues charging at the current rate, it could halt the country's fledgling economic progress, he added.

To curb the rising prices, Ali urged Somalia's federal government to take the lead in rebuilding the country's electric grid and supporting infrastructure with help from international partners. "Building the electricity [infrastructure] is a very big project that could cost a lot of money, and the government needs to collaborate with other [foreign] governments," he said. Until that is possible, Somalis will be forced to rely on the private company and continue paying a premium rate for their service, he said.

Reclaiming public buildings For its part, the Somali government has begun taking steps to re-launch the state-owned electric company and reclaim its properties. In a statement issued October 30th, Minister of Energy and Water Jama Ahmed Mohamed ordered squatters who live in former electricity distribution centres and buildings to vacate the premises. "If you have lived there for 23 years and have raised your children there, today the time has come when they should be used to benefit the public," he said, without specifying a deadline for squatters to move.

He said that in January the ministry will start projects to revive the state-owned electricity and water companies with support from friendly governments. However, internally displaced people affected by the order who spoke to Sabahi said they do not have the money to move or a place to go and urged the government to provide relocation assistance. Abdirahman Bishar Yusuf, 45, said he has lived for 16 years in the former electricity production centre in Hawl Wadag district. Yusuf told Sabahi he has no place to move his family of seven children at this time.

"We heard on the news that the government wants to evict us from where we live," he said. "We know that these are public buildings, but we do not have anywhere else to go. We ask the government to think about an alternative location where we can live."

Freed Somalia Towns Feel Besieged

HUDUR, Somalia—Women slip into this southern town in the middle of the night with sacks of rice for sale—a lifeline for residents and a move that demonstrates the continued threat from surrounding Islamist militants.

Hudur is one of a number of towns that African Union forces have liberated from al-Shabaab this year only to become isolated government outposts, leaving residents stranded and rebels in control of commercial lifelines. The troops freed Hudur, a town of some 20,000 about 60 miles from the Ethiopian border, from al-Shabaab militants in March. They were followed by swarms of exiled residents eager to go home.

 The returnees and a new district commissioner showed how the Somali government was seeking to establish control of the country beyond the fortified capital city of Mogadishu. But Hudur and many other liberated urban centers now struggle to survive because African peacekeepers—backed by the U.S. and other Western governments—have yet to secure the areas around them. That raises questions about the pace of AU operations.

“Liberating these areas is not a solution necessarily if the entry points and exit points are still blocked,” said Richard Downie, deputy director of the Africa program for Washington’s Center for Strategic and International Studies.

 “It’s very difficult to hold those areas and provide continued access.” If the AU troops and the Somali army aren’t able to widen control of rural areas, those towns could easily fall again. These same forces seized control of Hudur in 2012, only to relinquish it to al-Shabaab a year later, forcing government sympathizers to flee. The risk is that the government will never establish full control, mirroring the situation in the capital, where militants have been pushed out, but have since launched deadly attacks, including one on the presidential palace in July.

  “If you’re not careful, Mogadishu is actually the future of the rest of Somalia,” said Stig Hansen, author of “Al-Shabaab in Somalia.” “You have the government in control in the daytime but Shabaab at night.” The situation in Hudur illustrates the gamble of multiple AU offensives to turn the tide in a two-decade-long civil war in Somalia. ENLARGE . There have been clear signs of progress, including the democratic election of a president in 2012 and the U.S. strike this year that killed top al-Shabaab commanders. Since the beginning of the year, AU troops have retaken about 20 towns from militants, disrupting al-Shabaab’s supply lines.

On Sunday, Kenya’s deputy president, William Ruto, said his country’s security forces had killed more than 100 militants and destroyed their camp in Somalia, a day after al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for the ambush of a Nairobi-bound bus that left 28 people dead, Reuters reported. But military control remains tenuous, and people who make it to freed towns live in fear. “You liberate, then you consolidate,” said Eloi Yao, a spokesman for the AU force in Somalia. The Somali army commander for Bakol region, of which Hudur is the capital, said checkpoints tightly control who comes in and out of the town.

Anyone who isn’t from Hudur is instructed to call someone in town to vouch for them. Hudur hasn’t had a militant attack since it was retaken, said Col. Abdirahman Mohammed Osman. “If tonight you stay in Hudur, you will sleep safe,” he said.

Somalia: EU Anti-Piracy Mission Opens Base in Mogadishu

The European Union's anti-piracy mission, EUCAP Nestor, opened a permanent operational base at Aden Adde International Airport in Mogadishu Monday (November 24th).
The mission's deployment in Mogadishu is expected to enhance its ability to support maritime security systems in Somalia and in the Horn of Africa.

Piracy has dropped considerably in Horn of Africa waters since 2011, but there is still a need for vigilance in Somalia, and for strengthening existing laws and legal frameworks for maritime security, said head of EUCAP Nestor mission Etienne de Poncins.

"Pirates are still out there. They remain ashore ready to act at any opportunity," he said. "Our objective is to strengthen the action on the ground in order to help Somali authorities to identify them and dismantle their structures."
EUCAP Nestor also has a fully-operational office in Hargeisa.
In July, the Council of the European Union voted to extend EUCAP Nestor's mandate through December 2016.

Somalia celebrates that ultimate symbol of recovery: the return of TEDx

Along with a gourmet coffee shop, a literary festival and a rush of intrepid tourists, the staging of a TEDx event is one of those apparent symbols offered as proof that a war-torn country is normalising and even having fun. The second TEDxMogadishu takes place in the capital of Somalia on Saturday and will be streamed live on the internet. Speakers include Iman Elman, a 21-year-old female military commander in charge of a battalion of nearly 100 men, and Mohamed Mahamoud Sheik, who opened Mogadishu's first dry cleaner in 20 years after noticing men carrying their suits on planes to get them cleaned in Nairobi.

A spin-off from TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) talks in California, the TEDx format of smaller events – "ideas worth spreading" – has caught on around the world with events held 7,500 times in more than 150 countries. These include Baghdad and Tripoli, but organisers say Mogadishu is still the toughest security challenge. The low-budget debut event last year suffered some teething troubles but was generally regarded a success.

The sequel was due to take place in June but was postponed after the Islamist militant group al-Shabaab attacked a UN base, killing eight employees and five Somali civilians. Audience members at Saturday's TEDx will pass through security checkpoints and be individually searched, and may not yet even know the venue. Sebastian Lindstrom, TEDxMogadishu communications coordinator, does not hesitate to push the hopeful notion that the country is stabilising after two decades of civil war. "2012 was the year that peace returned to Somalia," he said.

"It was largely seen as the 'rebirth' of the country, with the formation of parliament, election of the president, and cabinet of ministers. For the first time in over two decades, Somalia had an internationally-recognised federal government. "Although the peace and stability remains fragile, in 2013 more Somalis are returning to their country than ever before, rediscovering the home they hadn't seen in decades, and for some young diaspora, had never seen. Even Somalis who have never left Mogadishu are rediscovering their city, swimming in Lido beach, enjoying new cafes, and attending international conferences like TEDx." Some analysts question whether the progress is being over-stated, however, in line with the fashionable narrative of "Africa rising".

They question whether the fragile peace in Mogadishu is reflective of the rest of the country, where al-Shabaab remains a force. Earlier this month Médecins Sans Frontières announced it was pulling out of Somalia after 22 years because of attacks on its staff. Last year some Twitter sceptics also questioned whether TED's Californian flavour really fitted with the nation's present troubles. But TEDxMogadishu's symbolism may be enough in terms of contributing to morale and sending a positive message to the influential Somali diaspora. Lindstrom added:

 "We believe in the power of positive stories to bring about change. If TEDx can help move the needle – even just a little bit – towards a better Somalia, it's well worth the hard work of the volunteer organisers and bravery of our speakers to step into the spotlight." The 14 speakers also include an artist who faced persecution for two decades and is now involved in peace-building; a blind journalist campaigning for disabled Somalis; the head of an initiative to restore the national library; a youth leader from the world's biggest refugee camp; a doctor rebuilding one of Mogadishu's most important hospitals; a young Somali-American discovering her country for the first time; a Somali novelist and a leader of Somalia's reconciliation efforts. The live stream of TEDxMogadishu runs on on Saturday from 8am to 2pm UK time at tedxmogadishu.com