‘Ghana Must Sign EPA’

Daily Guide Africa
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George Kporye, APIBANA interacting with Claude Maerten and other members at the conference.

Claude Maerten, an Ambassador of the European Union (EU) has called on the government of Ghana to expedite action on the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) to enhance trade.

Ghana signed an interim agreement with the EU after it failed to signed the full EPA contract.

The EU also implemented the total duty free contract.

An Ambassador of the EU said “we expect Ghana to sign and implement its part of the agreement in line with the World trade rules to enhance trade between us.”

Speaking shortly after addressing members of the African Pineapples and Banana Association in Accra on Friday, he noted that it was important for the two to fully implement the legal framework that would guide trade between Ghana and the EU.

“Ghana has not signed the EPA agreement and we are still talking with the authorities but it is important for Ghana to sign the agreement,” said Mr Maerten.

He noted that the Ghanaian authorities have explained that they want to hold consultations with stakeholders who would be affected by the agreement.

“The impact is a positive one but I agree it is normal to look at the details.”

The EU Ambassador noted that Ghana must sign and implement it fully before January 2014 “so that we can maintain duty free and quota free trade.”

He revealed that Ghana would have to consider options “but these are not as good as the EPA.”

The EPA was initiated by the EU which was expected to sign the agreement at the regional level but after the negotiations to get African countries to sign as a regional bloc, countries started signing an interim agreement which was popularly referred to as ‘EPA light.’

Ghana was expected to sign the full EPA in 2007 but agreed to the EPA light in 2008.

George Kporye, President of the African Pineapple and Bananas Association (APIBANA), in an interview, insisted that “there is no way we can decide to sit and watch such significant markets which contribute to our economic growth to die.”

Without the EPA, he said, Ghanaian exporters would be mandated to pay tariffs which we can not pay, noting, “In fact we are in existence currently because of the interim agreement without signing the agreement we are endangering business. We may look at expanding the market and shutting it.”

Opponents of the EPA claim it would lead to the influx of inferior goods on the Ghanaian market.

By Emelia Ennin Abbey

Zenith MD Confident In Africa Youth

Daily Guide Africa
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Daniel Asiedu, Zenith Bank MD

Daniel Asiedu, Managing Director of Zenith Bank Ghana Limited, has expressed confidence in the youth of Africa, saying the continent has a bright future with its enormous natural resources.

He said the failure of the older generation to provide adequate support to the African youth had affected the development of the continent.

Mr. Asiedu, whose bank is one of the major sponsors of the 2012 Springboard Roadshow, called for a drastic action on the part of African leaders to instill confidence in the youth and help grow the economy.

Speaking at the event, which was on the theme, “Promoting Excellence through Innovation and Technology,” Mr. Asiedu said Africa is blessed with natural resources, some which are yet to be discovered.

“We live in the age of the youth who are hungry for success and can be the driving force behind economic prosperity on the continent,” he added.

Referring to philosophies of some great men and women including Oprah Winfrey, Alexander Amosua and 18-year-old Indian King, he said “the future is now. Be Bold. Take hold of it.”

Mr. Asiedu challenged the youth to be more creative and innovative, saying, “We live in the age of the youth who are hungry for success and can be the driving force behind economic prosperity on the continent.”

He added that the youth will be engaged and motivated to be emotionally stable to make a difference in their chosen careers.

The event, held at the beginning of every year, brings influential personalities together for a stimulating discussion on topical corporate issues and career decisions.
Springboard Roadshow is to motivate people and develop a new generation of African achievers.

New Country Director For World Bank

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Yusupha B. Crookes

The World Bank has appointed Yusupha B. Crookes as Country Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone.  His appointment takes effect from March 1, 2012 and he will be based in the World Bank’s Accra Office.

Yusupha, a Gambian national, joined the Bank in 1983 as a Young Professional. He currently serves as Director, Regional Integration in the Africa Region.  Prior to this assignment, he held senior managerial positions including Country Director for Pakistan, Senior Manager and Sector Director in South Asia Region. 

Earlier on, he was Senior Manager in Corporate Resource Management and the Oil, Gas and Mining Department, and Sector Manager for Energy in the Africa Region of the World Bank, during which time he lead high level Energy Sector review missions to Ghana, Sierra Leone and other African countries. As such, he brings to this position extensive operational experience in a variety of complex country and sector situations.

In this new position, Yusupha top three priorities will be to: work closely with the three partner countries to provide innovative products and services that respond to their diverse development challenges and contribute to achieving sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction, lead and support staff and the country management team, working closely with internal and external partners, to enhance results on the ground and lead and support staff in implementing the priorities of the new Africa Strategy while adjusting to corporate realities and opportunities.

He holds degrees in Economics, Finance and Accounting.  His assignments in the Bank have covered various responsibilities in the Caribbean, Russia and Central Asia, Turkey, South Asia and various countries throughout Africa. 

Prior to joining the Bank, he worked in equity research and investment management in the United Kingdom.

He is married with two children.

African Union opens new $200m HQ

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The building in Addis is seen as a symbol of China’s new role in Africa

The African Union has inaugurated its newly built headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa.

The entire $200m (£127m) project was funded by China as a gift to the AU, as Beijing continues to strengthen its influence in Africa.

In front of African leaders a huge golden key was handed over and the 100m high building was officially opened.

The tower overlooks a vast conference centre where African heads of state are expected to meet for years to come.

Their first AU summit in the building will take place on Sunday.

China’s most senior political adviser, Jia Qinglin, attended the opening of the new headquarters.

“The towering complex speaks volumes about our friendship to the African people, and testifies to our strong resolve to support African development,” he said, according to AFP.

The AU chairman, Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, said the complex was “a reflection of the new Africa,” the agency reports.

The new AU building dominates the skyline of Addis Ababa and is the city’s tallest building.

Most of the materials used were imported from China and even the furnishings were paid for by Beijing, AFP news agency reports.

Construction began in January 2009 and involved 1,200 Chinese and Ethiopian workers.

The project co-ordinator, Fantalum Michael, says the new building signifies China’s growing friendship with Africa.

“It’s a testimony that this relationship will continue in the future,” he told AFP.

Thriving relationship
Trade between China and Africa has increased more than six-fold during the past decade to $120bn (£76bn) in 2011.

China is interested in Africa’s natural resources and in return is investing huge sums in African infrastructure.

Roads are being built by Chinese firms at a staggering rate, says the BBC’s Will Ross in Addis Ababa.

While other rich nations impose conditions before aid is given, China’s relationship with African countries is strictly a business one, he says.

Human rights groups have criticised China for undermining efforts by western countries to link aid to improvements in governance.

However African leaders have welcomed the Chinese approach and have embraced investment from Beijing.

In Ethiopia, many jobs have been created through Chinese-funded projects.

Chinese cars are being made in Ethiopian factories and China is also building a light railway across Addis Ababa.

Source: BBC

Africa / Opening Remarks to Regional Journalists on the Margins of African Union Summit

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Africa / Opening Remarks to Regional Journalists on the Margins of African Union Summit

WASHINGTON, January 30, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Remarks

William J. Burns

Deputy Secretary

U.S. Mission to the African Union

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

January 30, 2012

Thank you very much and good afternoon.

I am very pleased to be in Addis Ababa. My visit to Ethiopia concludes a week-long trip to Africa, which also included visits to Ghana, Uganda, and South Sudan.

My trip, which comes on the heels of Secretary Clinton’s visit to West Africa last week, reaffirms the high priority the Obama Administration attaches to Africa. It highlights our ongoing commitment to work with African partners both to seize opportunities and address common challenges.

America’s commitment to the continent is underscored by our work to support gains in democratic governance, sustainable development, economic growth, and the peaceful resolution of conflict. This includes our support for democracy and governance programs across the continent, our ongoing efforts to strengthen commercial ties between the U.S. and Africa, and our steadfast support for the protection and promotion of human rights.

The United States is committed to supporting programs that both support Africa’s long-term goals and short-term needs. President Obama’s Feed the Future Initiative, to which we committed $3.5 billion over 3 years, promotes food security and helps reduce vulnerability to drought and other shocks in partnership with governments across Africa. In the near-term, we are leading international efforts to respond to drought and famine in the Horn of Africa, including by committing over $870 million in relief for the crisis.

The United States also continues to provide extensive assistance to combat disease and to build the capacity of health systems across Africa, part of a $63 billion over five years commitment. On Thursday, I visited one excellent example of that effort, a public-private partnership at Wagagai in Uganda, one of more than a hundred such clinics that we support across Uganda to provide preventive care and comprehensive maternal and child health services.

Over the last week I have also had the pleasure of meeting with civil society leaders engaged in compelling and vital work in their communities. This includes meeting with a cross-section of young leaders who are engaged in dynamic work in every sector of society. As many of you already know, the Obama Administration has made a special point of engaging the continent’s next generation of leaders to discuss the broad spectrum of U.S.-African issues.

At the same time, this last week of discussions also covered a range of security, political, and humanitarian challenges facing the continent. The humanitarian situation in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile featured prominently in many of these discussions. The U.S. remains deeply concerned regarding the Government of Sudan’s continued denial of humanitarian access to those two states. Conflict and aerial bombardments have disrupted the planting season. Experts predict that, absent immediate humanitarian access, we could see emergency levels of food insecurity in a matter of weeks. The international community will not be able to stand by as this preventable humanitarian crisis unfolds.

My consultations also underscored the need for Sudan and South Sudan to quickly reach agreement on oil and related financial issues. The time has come to reach an amicable and negotiated solution. Unilateral actions on both sides only risk greater tension and further economic losses for both countries. Resolving this and other pending issues is the best path to achieve long-term peace, stability, and economic prosperity.

The challenge of Somalia came up frequently in my meetings and of course during discussions here at the African Union as well. As I said to President Museveni and others, the United States commends the work of the African Union Mission in Somalia. We hope that the African Union will continue to move quickly in finalizing a concept of operations for an expanded AMISOM so that we can discuss this issue in the UN Security Council as soon as possible. These discussions also centered on the need for the Transitional Federal Government to make steady and sustained progress on the Roadmap in advance of the end of the TFG’s mandate in August.

Additionally, various leaders expressed concern about the situation in Nigeria. Boko Haram poses a growing threat to the region. We will continue to support the Government of Nigeria on this and other challenges facing the country.

I was particularly delighted to be able to lead the U.S. delegation in attending the opening of the African Union Summit. The United States has a special relationship with this vital regional organization, including by being the first non-member state to accredit a diplomatic mission dedicated exclusively to the African Union. And last year Secretary Clinton became the first Secretary of State to address a formal session of the AU. We collaborate and partner with the African Union on a broad range of issues and will continue to assist in augmenting the AU’s capacity to address the many opportunities and challenges facing the continent.

And now I’d be glad to take some questions.

SOURCE 

US Department of State

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Mali / Promoting professional media coverage of this year’s elections in Mali

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Mali / Promoting professional media coverage of this year’s elections in Mali

PARIS, France, January 30, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — More than 40 Malian journalists who cover politics for state and privately-owned media are attending a two-day seminar on “Media Coverage of Mali’s Next Elections and French-Language Reporting” that began today in Bamako.

Inaugurated by Prime Minister Cissé Mariam Kaïdama Sidibé, the seminar aims to promote pluralist, responsible and professional coverage of the presidential and parliamentary elections and constitutional referendum that are due to take place in Mali in 2012.

Based on the Handbook for Journalists during Elections, which was produced jointly by the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) and Reporters Without Borders, the seminar will enable the participating newspaper, radio and TV journalists to benefit from experiences and practices in other French-speaking countries. Government spokesman and communication minister Sidiki N’Fa Konaté is due to close the seminar.

It will be immediately followed by a second two-day seminar on 1-2 February for journalists, political parties and entities involved in election organization on “The Need for Joint Regulation of the Media during Elections.”

The two back-to-back seminars are being organized by the OIF and the National Committee for Equal Access to Mali’s State Media (CNEAME) under the 2012-2013 Road Map of the Network of Francophone Media Regulators (REFRAM).

As part of the first seminar, Ambroise Pierre, the head of the Reporters Without Borders Africa Desk, is today hosting a debate on “The Rules Applying to Journalists in Normal Times and during Elections.”

SOURCE 

Reporters without Borders (RSF)

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Africa Cup of Nations / Samsung Inspires Fans to ‘Show Their Spirit’ for Africa’s biggest football tournament

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Africa Cup of Nations / Samsung Inspires Fans to ‘Show Their Spirit’ for Africa’s biggest football tournament

JOHANNESBURG, South-Africa, January 30, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ – Company creates spaces for fans to enjoy matches and share their passion for the game

Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (http://www.samsung.com), a global leader in the consumer electronics industry – and long-time supporter of African football – is rallying fans across the continent to show their passion for the game, and has launched a series of interactive live and online events for fans to gather and share the excitement of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations Gabon-Equatorial Guinea 2012.

Samsung, an official sponsor of the competition, has launched its official fan page for the 2012 tournament, http://www.Getintothespirit.com, and is setting up ‘Samsung Pop-up Stadium’ at shopping malls in Angola, Ghana and Senegal. Each of the events is aimed at providing a space for football fans to enjoy the matches – inside and outside the stadiums – and to share their experiences and enthusiasm with other football supporters.

Logo Samsung-CAN: www.apo-mail.org/Samsung.jpg

Logo Samsung: http://www.apo-mail.org/samsung-logo.jpg

“Football is a passion we share with our customers in Africa, and so we’re pursuing ways to leverage our innovative technology to ensure fans get the best possible enjoyment of the tournament. We hope this will be a chance for African fans to show and share their passion towards football together,” said Mr. Sunny Hwang, Vice President and Head of Global Sports Marketing at Samsung.

We love your spirit, Africa

Fans that visit www.getintothespirit.com, will be able to view the latest game schedule and results, upload photos of their tournament experience, download the official http://www.Getintothespirit.com Wallpapers and Ringtones, and engage with other fans across the continent.

Fans will also have the opportunity to enter to win weekly prizes, including some of Samsung’s most popular products – such as the Samsung Galaxy Note, the Samsung Galaxy SII, the Samsung SmartTV and many other prizes.

Samsung will also be giving away a grand prize at the end of the competition, on the 29th of February, called the Samsung SmartLife! One lucky fan will win a Samsung all-in-one SmartLife package, which include a suite of products from Samsung’s Built for Africa line of great products designed for African consumers.. The prize includes the Samsung duracool refrigerator for example, which keeps food cool when the power goes out; the Samsung Triple Protector Air Conditioner, the only air conditioner built for Africa to endure African conditions; and the Samsung SurgeSafe TV, which includes built-in surge protection to ensure smooth viewing during power surges. Other prizes in this all-in-one package include a Samsung DeepFoam Washing Machine, Samsung Solar Panel Netbook, Samsung Home Theatre System, Samsung Blu-ray disc player, Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 and a Samsung Galaxy Note mobile phone.

Pop in to a Samsung ‘Pop-up Stadium’

The ‘Samsung Pop-up Stadium’ – viewing areas with large screens and tiered seating – will be established at malls in Angola, Ghana and Senegal and run from January 20 – February 27. They will offer fans entertainment and involvement throughout the day. Each match will be shown live, and in between there will be dance contests – a freestyle “dance battle” with fans competing for the most acrobatic movements – recordings of football techniques, and football board games.

Fans will also have the opportunity to experience Samsung’s latest products and engage with innovative technology to enhance the excitement of African football.

The ‘Pop-Up Stadium’ come in addition to fan activation programs that Samsung will run in the tournament’s host nation, Gabon, where the ‘Samsung Football Fest’ will be held. The ‘Samsung Football Fest’ will include public viewing of matches with large screens, entertainment, mini-football and a Samsung product exhibition with giveaways for the fans.

“It’s the excitement and passion of the fans that will make the ‘Pop-up Stadium’ the best party at the Orange Africa Cup of Nations 2012 tournament. We’ll be bringing our cutting-edge technology to the table to deliver a great experience for those fans,” said Mr. Sunny Hwang. “Samsung is thrilled to be a part of the energy and celebration of African football.”

Distributed by the African Press Organization for Samsung.

Program Details

Location: Accra, Ghana

Venue: Accra Mall

Operation Hours: Open: 10 a.m. / Close: last game of the day

Location: Dakar, Senegal

Venue: Sea Plaza Mall

Operation Hours: Open: 10 a.m. / Close: last game of the day

Location: Luanda, Angola

Venue: Belas Shopping Mall

Operation Hours: Open: 10 a.m. / Close: last game of the day

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. (http://www.samsung.com) is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2010 consolidated sales of US$135.8 billion. Employing approximately 190,500 people in 206 offices across 68 countries, the company operates two separate organizations to coordinate its nine independent business units: Digital Media & Communications, comprising Visual Display, Mobile Communications, Telecommunication Systems, Digital Appliances, IT Solutions, and Digital Imaging; and Device Solutions, consisting of Memory, System LSI and LCD. Recognized for its industry-leading performance across a range of economic, environmental and social criteria, Samsung Electronics was named the world’s most sustainable technology company in the 2011 Dow Jones Sustainability Index. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com

SOURCE

Samsung

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More can be done to achieve justice, reconciliation in Darfur: UN Assistant Secretary General

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More can be done to achieve justice, reconciliation in Darfur: UN Assistant Secretary General

EL FASHER (DARFUR), Sudan, January 30, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — Reviewing UNAMID’s activities in the area of justice and security, and discussing the implementation of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD), were among the priorities of the UN Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations for the Rule of Law and Security Institutions, Dmitry Titov, who began his six day visit to Sudan on 24 January.

“We are here to understand the current needs and priorities of the Mission, and provide support and guidance,” said Mr. Titov. The ASG encouraged all to continue to work toward implementing UNAMID’s mandate in Darfur, especially in light of the political progress on the ground.

In discussions in Khartoum with the Under-Secretary of the Sudanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rahmatalla Mohamad Osman, the head of the newly established Darfur Regional Authority, El Tigani Seisi, and the Director-General of Prisons and Reform, Maj-General Abu Obeida Sulaiman, the ASG stressed that it is a time of change.

He noted that the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur represents a new stage for the people of Darfur and the Government of the Sudan (GoS). Moreover, the Document’s legal nature incorporates international humanitarian and human rights standards, providing a strong basis for UNAMID to continue working together with the authorities to strengthen the rule of law.

Mr. Titov said that while important operational steps have been made in the implementation of the DDPD, more remains to be done, particularly in bringing non-signatory parties into the peace process. He indicated that there will need to be a strong political will, adequate financial resources from the Government of Sudan and international partners, together with strengthened UNAMID operations geared towards the normalization of the situation of the vulnerable populations and return of IDPs to their places of origin.

Citing changing attitudes in the Government’s cooperation with UNAMID, Mr. Titov discussed with interlocutors the need for additional advocacy, awareness raising, training, capacity building and other forms of support in the areas of rule of law and security institutions. Regarding the ongoing discussions between UNAMID and the GoS on ordinance disposal activities, it was agreed that those activities will continue while discussions proceed on expanded cooperation in this vital area

ASG Titov met a number of local officials in North Darfur, including the Minister of Urban Planning, the Chief Justice, the Chief Prosecutor, the President of the Bar Association and the State Director of the Police. The ASG emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between UN Police and local law enforcement agencies; enhance the capacity of the local judiciary and prosecution service to deliver justice, including transitional justice; and, improve prison conditions to be in line with international standards. In this context, the United Nations will be prepared to consider other forms of capacity building assistance, including direct support to those Darfur bodies which are engaged in the implementation of the Doha Document.

He stated that UNAMID requires freedom of access to all areas concerned, as well as the lifting of restrictions on the movement of UN staff. In this context, he stressed that the AU and the UN are here to assist the authorities of Darfur to establish peace.

ASG Titov also held a meeting with the State Director of Prisons of North Darfur, visited KheirKanaga Women’s prison, Shallah Federal Prison, and the juvenile home in El Fasher. He noted the efforts of the prison authorities to improve the system, and the cooperation between UNAMID and the UN Country team.

The ASG also visited Abu Shouk Community Policing Centre and Tawila IPD camps where he met with IDP representatives and registered their concerns for safety and security at their places of origin and the level of humanitarian support. The ASG will conclude today his visit in Khartoum.

SOURCE 

United Nations – African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID)

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NUJ condemns journalist murder in Somalia

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NUJ condemns journalist murder in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia, January 30, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The National Union of Journalists Great Britain and Ireland (NUJ) has joined its sister union, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), in strongly condemning the murder of Hassan Osman Abdi, a senior journalist and trade union branch secretary, he was also the director of Shabelle Media Network, the leading private radio and television network in Southern Somalia.

Abdi was shot dead on Saturday 28 January 2012 as he arrived home in the Madina district in Mogadishu at 18:30 local time. He was trailed by five men in a sedan who fired five shots at him.

Widely known Hassan Fantastic, Abdi suffered serious injuries to his head and chest and died on the way to Madina hospital.

Abdi was a highly acclaimed journalist who has been busy unearthing politically complex issues and corruption within public institutions. Abdi was also a trade union branch secretary in Mogadishu city.

Hassan Osman Abdi was born on 1 July 1982 in the Jilib district of the Lower Juba region of Somalia and was appointed as Director of Shabelle Media Network in October 2011.

“This is a terrible tragedy, both for Hassan Osman Abdi’s family and for the Somali journalist community,” said Omar Faruk Osman, NUSOJ general secretary.

“All of the union officials are alarmed and saddened by the murder of Abdi which has removed cherished official in the union ranks and a respected colleague from the journalism fraternity,” added Osman.

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary said: “Somalia is a deadly place for journalists and trade unionists. Over the last few months we have seen Abdisalan Sheik Hassan gunned down and now Hassan Osman Abdi has been murdered.

“Their deaths are a loss to journalism and the trade union movement as a whole. The NUJ sends its condolences to their colleagues and families and calls on the authorities to take action to protect the safety of journalists.”

The NUJ and NUSOJ express their condolences and sympathy to the members of Abdi’s family, as well as to the staff at Shabelle Media Network.

Local journalists believe that Abdi was murdered because of his leading role within the Shabelle Media Network in reporting the political crisis in Mogadishu as well as uncovering corruption cases. “This was calculated killing,” said one journalist who was close to Abdi.

“The use of violence to stop journalists from exercising their basic human right of freedom of expression is unacceptable reality facing Somali journalists. We demand that vicious circle of impunity of crimes against journalists to be ended,” declared Osman.

Hassan Osman Abdi’s death has left a family without a husband and three children have lost their dad.

Abdi has sadly become the first journalist to be murdered in Somalia in 2012, he is the fifth journalist of Shabelle Media Network to be slayed and the fourth union official to be killed.

SOURCE 

National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ)

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FAJ Condemns Assassination of Prominent Journalist in Somalia

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FAJ Condemns Assassination of Prominent Journalist in Somalia

MOGADISHU, Somalia, January 30, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the African Regional Organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), has joined its affiliate, the National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) in firmly condemning the assassination of prominent journalist and director of Shabelle Media Network, Hassan Osman Abdi.

According to NUSOJ, Hassan Osman Abdi was trailed from work place, shot and riddled with bullets by assassins travelling in a sedan on Saturday 28 January 2012. Abdi died on the way to Madina hospital.

“We strongly condemn the cowardly act of the perpetrators of this villainous crime and call on the Somali authorities to ensure that justice is done and that the perpetrators are hunted down and brought to book,” said Foster Dongozi, FAJ Vice President.

FAJ mourns the death of Hassan Osman Abdi who was a committed and highly respected personality in the field of journalism in Somalia and within the national journalists union, where he was Branch Secretary of the union’s Banadir region branch.

“We are disturbed by the frequency at which journalists are being violently attacked in Somalia often resulting in a senseless loss of dear lives,’ added Dongozi.

More than two dozen of journalists have been killed, scores arrested and several independent media houses shut down in the country since 2006.

“Killings of Somali journalists reflect the vulnerability of the media professionals in our country and the dangerous climate to which they are exposed,” said Abdi Aden Guled, NUSOJ Supreme Council Senior Vice President.

SOURCE 

International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)

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