READ MORE HERE: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/africa/101021/somalia-somaliland-trade-frankincense-myrrh

HARGEISA, Somaliland — In the mist forests of the Golis Mountains in northern Somalia, clouds roll in off the sea. Up and over the mountain ridges, they evaporate into the desert air. There, in the southern slopes, stumpy trees grow as if anchored to the mountainside by some unknown force. From the hand-slashed bark of these stubborn, spiky trees leak droplets of a gum that hardens into a chewy resin. These aromatic gums are the biblical frankincense and myrrh. Harvested and dried, they have been highly valued trade items for thousands of years. The gums are simply processed and exported. They look like dirty little stones, and they find their way out of Somalia's wild north and into European perfumes, Christian churches, Arabian households and Chinese medicines. Somaliland is the northern territory of Somalia that functions largely independent from the war-torn south, although it is not officially recognized as an autonomous country. The production and trade in the aromatic gums of frankincense and myrrh is an important economic activity for Somaliland. Guelleh Osman Guelleh, general manager of Beyomol Natural Gums in Hargeisa, told GlobalPost that he exports 330,000 pounds of frankincense and myrrh every year. Much of his product is distilled abroad for use in perfumes. “The main market for us is in southern France, in Grasse. Ninety percent of what we sell goes there to be used in perfumes,” said Guelleh who studied in the United Kingdom before returning to Somaliland in 1999 to set up his gum exporting business. The only processing done in Somaliland itself is sorting and grading the gums according to size and color but Guelleh hopes that will change, one day. “It’s a technical issue because it is not a simple process to distill for the perfumery industry. You need to show reliability of quality and consistency of supply, you need to be able to process the same way the French do,” he said. Nevertheless, exporting the unrefined gums alone is a profitable enterprise earning Guelleh up to $60,000 a year. Overall Somaliland's economy is estimated to be worth $50 million, of which 95 percent is exports of livestock. Guelleh’s business operates out of Somaliland, where successive governments of the self-declared independent province have a laissez-fair policy toward private enterprise that borders on disregard. “Somaliland is fantastic for doing business because the government keeps out of the private sector,” said Guelleh enthusiastically. Regulations are minimal, taxes non-existent. “Somaliland allows you to do your business and they don’t interfere.” It was not always this way. During the years when Somalia was under the military rule of Mohamed Siad Barre, the government-owned Frankincense and Gums Trading Agency nationalized the sector and the crop was part of the corrupt state bureaucracy. But since the collapse of Barre’s regime and Somaliland’s declaration of independence in 1991, gums, like the rest of the economy, have been making a slow recovery. Myrrh is extracted from the Commiphora myrrha tree that grows on the lower slopes. Frankincense comes from the Boswellia carteri tree that grows at higher altitudes. Both are used in herbal medicines, essential oils and perfume, not to mention religious ceremonies. Christians often incorporate frankincense and myrrh into traditions, given the fact that the Three Wise Men are said to have offered them to baby Jesus. Lesser known in the Western world is "maidi" a type of frankincense that is extracted from the Boswellia frereana tree and is popular in the Arab world as a naturally scented chewing gum. This high quality gum — pure white in color — is sought after and sells for $12 per kilogram, six times the price of the best inedible frankincense.

^ ^ Some people Climax when the put Somaliland & Bugland in the same sentence dee ................ Intaasay kaga timaadaa ,,,, Wax fahan

Maybe Alshabab does it too ,,,,

At least one struggled to compose his own ,, the other one was stealing from others.

^ ^

Xamar way hagaagi doontaa Insha Allah ,,,,, the question is when ??

Not so bad ... at least no one died although there was little violence there.

Welcome back Mini-Cowke .....

Somaliland, South Africa, Uganda, Ethiopia and other countries must cooperate to counter such illegal activities. I say this is a good start for now.

Ciidamada Amaanka Dowladda koonfur Afrika ayaa gacanta ku dhigay hub tiro badan oo loo soo waday dalka Soomaaliya iyadoona gacanta lagu dhigay Shan qof oo Seddax ka mid ah dumar ay yihiin kuwaasi oo hubka la socday. Boliiska Dalka Koofur Afrika ayaa sheegay in Howlgal ay sameeyeen Magaalada Durban ee dalka Koonfur Afrika in ay ku soo qabteen hub dhan 308 qori gacmeed oo isugu jiray qoryaha diirada leh oo aan dhawaqooda la maqal iyo hub kale, waxaana sidoo kale mid ahaa hubka gacanta lagu dhigay 592 qasnadood oo rasaas ah. Wararka ayaa sheegaya in hubka la qabtay ee loo waday Soomaaliya loogu talo galay la dagaalanka Kooxaha Burcada Badeeda Soomaaliya ,hasa ahatee lama sheegin cida uu sida tooska ah hubka ugu socday. Vincent Mdunge oo Afhayeen u hadlay ciidamada Boliiska ee Dalka Koonfur Afrika ayaa sheegay in hubkaani laga keenay Jasiirada Malta hasa ahaatee wali ay wadaan baaritaano ku aadan ujeedada dhabta ah ee hubka iyo sidoo kale dalalka ay u dhasheen dadka hubka lagu qabtay. Sidoo kale Afhayeenaan ka tirsan Boliiska Koonfur Afrika ayaa sheegay in Shanta qof ee ay gacanta ku hayaan islamarkaana 3 ka mid ah dumar yihiin lagu maxkamadeeyn doono Magaalada Pinetown Dalka Koonfur Afrika. Togdhnews

QUITO: Ecuador formally recognised Palestine as an independent state on Friday, following the lead of its neighbours Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay earlier this month. President Rafael Correa signed “the Ecuadoran government’s official recognition of Palestine as a free and independent state with 1967 borders,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The border mention refers to the territorial limits of the Palestinian territory before the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. Ecuador’s decision, the ministry statement said, “vindicates the valid and legitimate desire of the Palestinian people for a free and independent state” and will be a key contribution to a negotiated peaceful coexistence in the Middle East. The Ecuadoran resolution was being provided to Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian representative to the United Nations, the ministry said. Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay earlier this month recognised Palestine as an independent state, drawing a harsh rebuke from Israel. Source: http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/25/ecuador-recognises-palestine-as-independent-state.html

Source: http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2010/12/25/expatriates_return_to_lead_somalia/

MOGADISHU, Somalia — For years, Abdulkareem Jama commuted from his home in Fairfax, Va., to a cushy office in Washington. He commanded a six-figure salary. Now, his desk is in Somalia’s war-torn capital, next to a window with a golf ball-size bullet hole. He is fortunate if he gets paid his much-shrunken salary on time. “I was standing there when the bullet came through,’’ Jama said, pointing to a spot a foot from the window. “Three bullets also entered my residence.’’ In recent months, a considerable number of Americans have joined or tried to join Somalia’s radical al-Shabab militia, raising concerns among US officials that they could one day pose a threat to the United States. But Americans of Somali descent have also returned to their motherland to help prevent al-Shabab from gaining power. They are part of a large community of Somali expatriates who have arrived here from all over the world to join Somalia’s fragile transitional government despite immense risks. Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, a Somali American from New York, was appointed prime minister in October. His Cabinet includes several members of the Somali diaspora. “Life is short and I want to put it to good use,’’ said Jama, the chief of staff for President Sharif Ahmed but soon to be the minister of information. Somalia’s experience is similar to that of other violence-torn nations, from Afghanistan to Iraq to Liberia, where returning immigrants have entered politics and built businesses, providing linchpins amid war and instability. These immigrants remained intimately connected to their homelands via the Internet and satellite television. Abdi Rashid Sheik Farah, 45, fled Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime. He ended up in McLean, Va., and attended Catholic University. Farah, a lawyer and father of four, became a leader in Washington’s Somali community. When Ethiopia invaded Somalia in December 2006, he felt compelled to return home. “I wanted to stand up to the Ethiopians who invaded our lands,’’ said Farah, who joined the transitional government and is now a member of Parliament. Recently, Parliament approved the new government after weeks of disputes over the inclusion of so many technocrats from outside Somalia. It has been nearly 25 years since Mohamed last set foot in Somalia. After working four years in the Somali Embassy in Washington in the mid-1980s, he earned a history degree at the University of Buffalo. He later worked for the city of Buffalo’s municipal housing authority and taught conflict resolution at Erie Community College. In August, when Somalia’s previous prime minister abruptly resigned, Mohamed submitted his resume to Ahmed, the president. Somalia’s complex, clan-based political system required that the next prime minister be a member of the ***** tribe. Mohamed fit the bill. He met Ahmed in New York for a preliminary interview. Then Mohamed got a phone call from Ahmed’s staff asking him to fly to Mogadishu. “I was not aware I was the top candidate,’’ said Mohamed, a father of four. His family didn’t understand why he was leaving. When he landed at the airport, Mohamed said, he was informed that he was the new prime minister. It was his first time back in Mogadishu since 1987. Mohamed denied local speculation that he was appointed because of US pressure. After a recent meeting in which he urged Mohamed to give more rights to minorities, Mahmoud Bare Hussein left the room shaking his head. A member of Parliament, he wondered aloud why the second-most powerful political position would be given to someone who left the country nearly 25 years ago. “He knows nothing about the country. That’s why he will fail,’’ Hussein said. One of Jama’s daughters recently sent him an e-mail informing him that she was taking karate classes and that he should be with her, not in Somalia. “That’s not a good feeling,’’ he said. “But in the overall scheme of things, how people live and die here, that is a small price to pay.’’

Inta kolba waddan lgu shirayo xalku waa weli ............... Waxaan sugayaa marka kulamada noocaas ah Xamar lagu qabto dowladana lagu dhiso dalka gudihiisa ..... Weliba kulamadaas anigaa ka soo qayb geli markaas ,,,

Hargeisa (Somalilandpress)- This week somcable has completed most of their surveys covering total distance of 1200 Km in land. Covering Berbera to Las-anod border of punt land, Berbera to Tog-wajale border in Ethiopia, then Berbera to Lowya-Ado boder in Djibouti. The construction of Berbera landing Station is also expected to be completed in mid January, as well as main Hargeisa Branch. The network will serve as a backhaul to enable Somaliland to interconnect with Submarine Cable networks which are currently being deployed in the Red Sea. This project is expected to contribute the national economy, as it’s expected to create Thousands of Jobs, during the construction, a part from the labor and the construction employment it will create a permanent technical trainings for the newly graduates from Somaliland Universities. In addition the project will stimulate growth of telecommunication services in the country. As Somcable Managements confirmed, Somcable will enter the market as a carrier’s carrier, and will remain capacity whole saller. This will allow Somaliland operators to have improve return on investment along the telecommunications value chain with the introduction of fiber optic. The project will enable the government and development bodies to enhance development of services to rural and urban Areas and thus improving the lives of citizens through job creations, partnership, and revenue generations.

Bogsadee Aduu hawl Nabsi kugula baydhee

To make up for that lack of information, Somaliland retained TGS-Nopec in 2009 to acquire 5,300 km of seismic and magnetic data as well as 34,700 km of aeromagnetic data. Wax fahan ,,,

Anigu markii sawirkan la qaadayay uun baan sheegayaa ,,,

Wixii horuu tuugnimana ku darsaday ,,,,

Waar kala garo marka dagaal lagu jiro iyo marka kele ......

Clearly Ngonge won the battle .................... END OF STORY

Source: http://www.voanews.com/english/news/As-Al-Shabab-Looms-Somali-Government-Running-Out-of-Time-112429779.html?utm_source=voa_news-twitter-account&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=twitterfeed

It has been another violent year in Somalia with al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militants establishing itself as a terrorist group that can strike beyond Somali borders. The U.N.-backed Transitional Federal Government, mired in its own internal problems, is still relying on African Union peacekeepers to keep insurgents from toppling the government and showing little sign that it will be able to establish a functioning administration before its mandate ends next August. History in the world's most dangerous city seems to have ground to a halt. Since 1991, violence and warfare have become a fact of daily life on the Mogadishu streets, with one conflict blending into the next since the overthrow of Mohamed Siad Barre. But since 2007, a new and more radical threat has confronted Somalia's fragile transitional government, threatening to overhaul southern Somalia and establish a harsh theocracy on the Horn of Africa. Al Shabab (also known as "The Youth") entered the war-torn Somali scene in 2007 shortly after the Ethiopian Invasion. A successor to the Islamic Court's Union, the al Qaida-linked group has been battling the government to impose Sharia law in the country. Somalia has never been short of armed insurgents, but 2010 saw Shabab develop into something more ominous. Over the course of the year, al Shabab seized most of southern and central Somalia. Despite the presence of the joint African Union and U.N. peacekeeping force AMISOM, the transitional government struggled to maintain its grip over the capital. Al Shabab then seized world attention in July when it carried out twin suicide attacks in Kampala, Uganda killing 76 while they watched the final match of the World Cup. The blasts were carried out in retaliation for Ugandan troop presence in the AMISOM mission. International Crisis Group analyst Rashid Abdi warns that al Shabab, once viewed merely as a regional threat, has become an international player. "We are talking of an organization that has come of age," said Abdi. "It is no longer an appendage of al-Qaida, it is now a clone probably which is much more serious and has the ambition to globalize the jihad and has the footsoldiers to do it." Emboldened by their actions in Kampala, al Shabab launched its Ramadan Offensive, vowing to oust the fractured Somali government from Mogadishu by early September. One month of bloody fighting ensued, leaving hundreds dead. But miraculously, being pushed back, the AMISOM and Government troops were able to repel the rebel advances and pick up territory of their own. The gains were highly-touted as a step towards the end of al Shabab, but the celebration was short-lived. Violence has again picked up in Mogadishu, and a string of battles over the past few weeks have left more than 100 dead. The commitment of the International Community has never wavered in the face of growing violence. In fact, the resolve to defeat Shabab has strengthened since Kampala. On December 22 the United Nation's approved an AMISOM troop increase from 8,000 to 12,000 and Uganda has in recent months promised to bring the number to 20,000 with international funding. But Crisis Group's Rashid Abdi warns that a military victory in Somalia would be fleeting. Underlying the problem of al Shabab is the weak, U.N.-backed government facing it. "There is no doubt that there isn't a military solution to this problem," added Abdi. "A temporary victory over al Shabab is feasible. But that creates a problem by itself because - at the moment - the government has no capacity to hold the territory which AMISOM will help it gain." A large part of the problem in Somalia is the Transitional Federal Government's inability to eliminate al Shabab and impose order. Established in 2004, the government has been wracked by near constant infighting and corruption. But a glimmer of hope has recently emerged. In October, President Sharif appointed American citizen Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed as Prime Minister. Unknown to Somalia at the time, the appointment was criticized by local leaders. But Mohamed's insistence on experience rather than clan affiliation and his appointment of a lean, technocrat heavy cabinet has garnered praise and raised some expectations. Despite the hopes, the new Prime Minister has only months to do what some believe impossible: oust al Shabab, deliver a constitution and hold national elections before the TFG mandate expires in August. "The unanswered question is: are they really serious - the donors - about having a permanent government come August and how in the world are they going to do it," said U.S.-based Somalia Observer at Purdue University, Michael Weinstein. "How does this new government fit into that? You would have to have an extended mandate for this government to be able to actually see if it can accomplish anything." Only time will tell if the current Somali government gets another chance to bring peace to Somalia, but one thing is clear: al Shabab will be waiting for whichever government turns up in 2011.