Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the Somali president. The US believes he is the best hope for peace.
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the Somali president. The US believes he is the best hope for peace.
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the Somali president. The US believes he is the best hope for peace.
Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the Somali president. The US believes he is the best hope for peace.

Besieged Somali leader is trying to be heard


  • English
  • Arabic

MOGADISHU // When President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed wants to tour his territory, the trip takes less than an hour. That is because his government controls only a few city blocks of Somalia's capital - an area smaller than Yas Island in a country the size of France.

Sheikh Sharif is practically a prisoner in his own house, a palatial hilltop villa with stunning views of the Indian Ocean. He rarely leaves his compound: rebel snipers are waiting just beyond his walls. When he does move, it is in a convoy of heavily armoured vehicles. On the rare occasions that he flies out of the country, militants usually lob mortars at his plane. The president's isolation has prevented him from interacting with Somalis, which is essential to winning their support. Overrun by Islamist extremists, Sheikh Sharif's government has failed to unite the warring factions and end the conflict that has destroyed Somalia.

"Sometimes you may have plans to accomplish certain things, but if you don't have the financial resources to accomplish that, it may not happen," the president said in an interview at his villa. "Sometimes people ask why the government doesn't do a list of things. But they don't ask themselves what are the challenges they face, what resources they have to work with and how much that can stretch." In a serious blow to the already weak government, a suicide bomber dressed as a woman last week blew himself up at a university graduation, killing four government ministers and 19 others. Islamis tmilitant groups that control most of the country denied responsibility for the bombing, but government officials blamed al Shabab, an insurgent group with ties to al Qa'eda.

"We condemn that evil act perpetrated by people working on foreign ideas," Sheikh Sharif said of the bombing. "This is not Somali work. It is a newly imported idea to destroy Somalia and prevent its people from having stability, peace and their own government. We are committed to making the dreams of our people a reality, and such terrorist acts will never deter us." Sheikh Sharif, 43, came to power in January amid high hopes that he could negotiate with the Islamist rebels and bring them into the government. A teacher and Islamic scholar, he led the Islamic Courts Union (ICU) when it briefly controlled Somalia in 2006.

After the ICU was overthrown by Ethiopian troops backed by the United States, Sheikh Sharif went into exile in Yemen. The US government, which supported his enemies in 2006, is now one of his strongest backers as he leads the transitional federal government. Sheikh Sharif has one of the hardest jobs in the world. His country has been at war for 19 years. Clan-based warlords destroyed most of Somalia as they fought for power. In the past three years, however, the war has turned religious. Al Shabab and other Islamist factions that were once allied with the president have tried to overthrow the government.

"The people who are fighting us are skilled professionals who are creating havoc in different parts of the world," the president said. "This is not a problem that was faced by previous governments." One of the first things Sheikh Sharif did was establish Islamic law in Somalia, a move meant to appease the Islamists. But his version of Islam is too moderate for the radicals, and they disapprove of his ties to the United States.

In August, Sheikh Sharif met Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, in Nairobi. Mrs Clinton pledged money and weapons to Sheikh Sharif's beleaguered government. "We believe that [Sheikh Sharif's] government is the best hope we've had in quite some time for a return to stability and the possibility of progress in Somalia," she told reporters. "No one knows better than the president the challenges facing Somalia and his people."

The international community pledged $200 million (Dh734m) to the Somali government at a donor conference in April, although most of that has not materialised. "The resources needed to build the security forces, to rebuild infrastructure, the services to the people, the humanitarian services - all that requires financial resources and the international community could help," Sheikh Sharif said. "Unfortunately, we're still at the stage of receiving promises and not at the delivery of needed resources."

Experts say Sheikh Sharif has not done enough to win the hearts and minds of the people. "There was a lot of hope and optimism when this president was elected," said Rashid Abdi, a Somalia analyst with International Crisis Group, a think tank in Brussels. "Almost a year down the road, he's not anywhere near consolidating power in Mogadishu or in the rest of the country." To accomplish this, analysts say, he needs to leave his compound more and interact with the population, as dangerous as this may be.

"This battle can be won in the mosque," Mr Abdi said. "It's an ideological battle. He should go out and use his great oratory power and his intellect to undermine the support that the hardliners have. The president must be seen out in public, talking to his people, giving broadcasts. A president needs to be seen and heard." Sheikh Sharif understands this and has begun to make himself more visible. On a recent Friday, he ventured out to a mosque to give a sermon.

"We have brought elements of the people opposing us into the government, but there are some remaining who are still fighting and we are working on them," he said. "But since we have tried and they are not moving forward, many people are convinced it's important to focus on governing and taking care of the people. Especially those who have been misled, who have been brainwashed; we're hopeful they will come to their senses."

@Email:mbrown@thenational.ae

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Gender equality in the workplace still 200 years away

It will take centuries to achieve gender parity in workplaces around the globe, according to a December report from the World Economic Forum.

The WEF study said there had been some improvements in wage equality in 2018 compared to 2017, when the global gender gap widened for the first time in a decade.

But it warned that these were offset by declining representation of women in politics, coupled with greater inequality in their access to health and education.

At current rates, the global gender gap across a range of areas will not close for another 108 years, while it is expected to take 202 years to close the workplace gap, WEF found.

The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracked disparities between the sexes in 149 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.

After years of advances in education, health and political representation, women registered setbacks in all three areas this year, WEF said.

Only in the area of economic opportunity did the gender gap narrow somewhat, although there is not much to celebrate, with the global wage gap narrowing to nearly 51 per cent.

And the number of women in leadership roles has risen to 34 per cent globally, WEF said.

At the same time, the report showed there are now proportionately fewer women than men participating in the workforce, suggesting that automation is having a disproportionate impact on jobs traditionally performed by women.

And women are significantly under-represented in growing areas of employment that require science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills, WEF said.

* Agence France Presse

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

MATCH INFO

 

Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)

Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no

Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)

Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9

Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

The specs: 2018 Maxus T60

Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000

Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder

Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm

Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5