Djibouti Supports Launch of Somali Independent News Agency

UNCLAS DJIBOUTI 000547

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PROP KPAO KWWW DJ SO
SUBJECT: Djibouti Supports Launch of Somali Independent News Agency


1. (U) SUMMARY: The Somali Independent News Agency (SOMINA)
was officially launched in Djibouti on April 30 by the Djiboutian
Minister of Communication and Culture, Ali Abdi Farah. In close
coordination with Reporters Without Borders (RWB) and funded by the
Doha Center for Media Freedom, established by the Emir of Qatar,
SOMINA is headquartered in Djibouti and employs nine correspondents
based in major urban centers throughout Somalia. Because SOMINA's
charter and license with the GODJ prohibits broadcasting within
Djibouti, SOMINA's reporting operations will be web-based and
focused only on Somalia-related issues. SOMINA's stated mission is
to provide fair, balanced, accurate, and objective reporting on
Somalia issues, focused on state-building, peace and stability,
human rights, and humanitarian assistance related news.


2. (U) PAO spoke with Omar Faruk Osman, the driving force
behind the establishment of SOMINA. A reporter-in-exile from
Mogadishu, Faruk is politically very active in the region and
serves as the Secretary-General of both the National Union of
Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) and the East Africa Journalists
Association (EAJA),which is based in Djibouti. Working with
Robert Menard, one of the founders and the former Secretary-General
of RWB and the current Director-General for the Doha Center for
Media Freedom, Faruk secured $120,000 from the Doha Center to start
SOMINA. The six-person Board of Directors is comprised of three
members of RWB (including the current Secretary-General),two
members of NUSOJ (including Faruk),and the Africa Desk Officer for
the Doha Center for Media Freedom. The Doha Center has only agreed
to fund SOMINA for one year; however, the Dutch governmental agency
that supports independent media operations, Press Now, has agreed
to three additional years of financial support pending evaluation
of effectiveness.


3. (U) SOMINA reporting can be read at www.sominaonline.com
or received via email at info@sominaonline.com.


4. (U) COMMENT: Djibouti already hosts nearly two dozen Somali
journalists, many of whom write for web-based publications or other
Somali news agencies. The opening of SOMINA underscores the
opportunity to use Djibouti-based Somali journalists as part of
U.S., U.N, and/or AMISOM public diplomacy and strategic
communications programs aimed at Somalis. END COMMENT.


SWAN