Somalia’s new parliament sworn in Mogadishu; Egypt seeks $4.8 billion loan from IMF; Iran keen to restore diplomatic relations with Egypt; Nigerian Islamists rule out peace talks with government; Nearly 53 people died in ethnic clashes in Kenya; Australia
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    • According to reports, Somalia's new parliament, the first since 1991, was inaugurated in Mogadishu when 250 MPs were sworn in by the chief justice in the presence of President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and UN special representative Augustine Mahiga. However, the parliament is short of the final target of 275 members. It is hoped that this would mark a new chapter after the civil war and bloodshed that followed the collapse of central government in 1991.1

    In another development, reports noted that during International Monetary Fund (IMF) chief Christine Lagarde’s visit to Egypt to discuss means of helping the ailing economy, Egyptian officials have requested a $4.8 billion loan from the IMF and hopes for a deal by the end of 2012. This could help in neutralizing balance of payments crisis and rebuild confidence among investors. Earlier, the exodus of foreign investors has left local banks shouldering much of the lending to the state. The government in the twelve months has also borrowed nearly $12 billion, or about 4.5% of GDP, directly from the central bank. 2

    According to reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said that Iran and Egypt were moving toward restoring diplomatic ties, severed more than three decades ago. Salehi said that Tehran was keen on establishing relations of “friendship and brotherhood” with Cairo as Egypt is the cornerstone of the region and has a special stature in the Arab and Muslim countries. 3

    Reports noted that Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram ruled out holding peace talks with the government and also threatened to strike media houses for reporting against the sect. Earlier, the local press and two foreign news organisations have reported that talks were going on between the government and the militants who have been staging an insurgency against it. On his part, the Information minister Labaran Maku declined comment on the talks, citing government instructions not to discuss the issue. 4

    Kenyan police and aid workers reported that nearly 48 people were killed in ethnic clashes between Pokomo and Orma groups in Kenya's coastal region as attackers armed with rudiment weapons attacked villagers and set structures on fire. The raid was part of a long-running dispute between these groups over grazing land and water. The Coast Province Commissioner, Samuel Kilele, recalled that he had a meeting with leaders from both groups earlier and they appeared to resolve the dispute. 5 Later, Kenyan police have arrested five clan leaders and four chiefs in connection with these attacks. They were accused of organising and leading the raid and the chiefs of failing to alert authorities about the planned attacks. Meanwhile, the initial death toll of 48 rose to 53 after five more victims died in hospital. However, the Kenya Red Cross put the death toll at 626.

    According to reports, the Green Climate Fund, a new global fund on climate change created as part of a deal struck in December 2011 at the 194-nation climate talks in Durban, has selected officials from Australia and South Africa as its leaders at its first meeting. The fund, aims to channel $US100 billion ($A95 billion) a year in aid to poor countries, will be led by Ewen McDonald, deputy head of Australia's international development agency, and Zaheer Fakir, head of international relations for South Africa's environment agency. 7

    In another development, according to reports, after a meeting with European Union (EU) foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, the South African International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane said that South Africa would send an inter-departmental delegation to Brussels to discuss with Europe the impact on South Africa and the rest of the Southern African region of Western-led imposition of sanction on Iran. This has assumed importance as South Africa used to import about one third of its crude oil from Iran and the EU sanctions against Iran remains a hurdle for South Africa. 8

    In other developments, according to reports, Libyan Interior Minister Fawzi Abdelali has resigned after being criticized for the performance of security forces during recent violence that rocked Libya. Libyan security services were censured following double car bombings that killed two people on Eid al-Fitr in Tripoli and attacks on several Muslim shrines later. The criticism has been led by the General National Congress, which accused the interior ministry's High Security Committee of being lax or even implicated in the destruction of shrines, including those of the Sufi sect. 9

    Separately, Jonglei governor Kuol Manyang reported that rebels in South Sudan's Jonglei state have killed at least 24 soldiers, with several others missing or wounded, in the latest outbreak of violence. The attack took place in the Pibor region of Jonglei after soldiers were sent to investigate sightings of rebel leader David Yau Yau, who split from South Sudan's army (SPLA). 10

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