Quarterly Progress Report: Somali Youth Leaders Initiative (SYLI) FY 2015 Q3

However, election-related disputes between the ruling and opposition parties continued. The Somaliland Upper House of Parliament extended the presidential election until March 2017, while Somaliland national political parties agreed on a different date of December 2016, resulting in political confusion and disagreement between the three parties, the President, and the Upper House of Parliament. Ongoing dialogue aimed to bring the issue to an end. In Puntland, President Abdiwali Gaas reshuffled his cabinet on June 17, 2015, replacing eight ministers, including the Education, Health, Finance, and Security Ministers. Professor Abshir Yusuf Isse was appointed to replace the former Education Minister, Mr. Ali Haji Warsame. The influx of Somali returnees and Yemeni refugees escaping from the ongoing conflict in Yemen significantly increased during the quarter, with approximately 21,600 individuals arriving at the port city of Bossaso between April and June 2015. The local community and some international partners provided support to help the Somali returnees reach their final destinations in Somalia and resettle the Yemeni refugees into temporary camps. The conflict in Yemen had a ripple effect on the prices of basic commodities from the gulf countries due to the restricted movement of boats and ships moving along the Red Sea to Somalia. On April 20, 2015, an explosion targeted a UN vehicle and staff outside the FAO office in Garowe, killing four UNICEF staff and three local security personnel, and injuring an additional four UNICEF staff. Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack. In June, hundreds of rebellious soldiers, led by the former deputy police chief Gen. Muhyadin Ahmed, defected over what they described as missing basic rights, including lack of salary and welfare. In South Central Somalia, the FGS successfully established the Galmudug Regional Administration following months of deliberations by clan elders and politicians in that region in a conference in Adado, Galgadud region. Clan delegates agreed on a constitution for the national assembly and the executive branch, and a total of 89 MPs were selected by clan elders to represent the maiden Parliament for the region. Mr. Ali Ga'al Aser was elected as the Speaker of the National Assembly, and a fiercely contested presidential contest between Mr. Abdikarim Hussein Gulled and Mr. Ahmed Moalim Fiqi followed, with Mr. Abdikarim defeating Mr. Fiqi 49 to 40 votes. Mr. Mohamed Hashi was elected Vice President, and the exercise was lauded as being unprecedentedly fair, transparent, and democratic. However, Al-Shabab launched a complex attack on the venue of the conference in Adado, which was anticipated and did not cause major casualties. ASWJ, a strong militia group that controls Dhusamareeb and Guricel districts and its environs, distanced themselves from the new regime and elected their own independent government headed by Sheikh Mohamed Sheikh Shakir. The Puntland government raised concerns after the new state defined its territorial boundary as Galgadud and Mudug region, with the latter partially under the control of the Puntland Administration. The US Secretary of State, John Kerry, made an unannounced historic visit to Somalia on May 5, 2015, becoming the first top US diplomat to visit Somalia in over two decades. Mr. Kerry met with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid, as well as the heads of regional administrations and civil society organizations. The visit was described as a reinforcement of the United States' commitment to supporting Somalia's ongoing transition to a peaceful democracy. During the quarter, Al-Shabab intensified attacks on government institutions and officials and the state security apparatus, including AMISOM forces. There was a surge in targeted assassinations during the month of Ramadan in Mogadishu and face-to-face attacks in other parts of South Central Somalia. On April 14, AS conducted a complex attack on the Ministry of Education Culture, and Higher Education, where two SYLI staff were attending a meeting. AS previously condemned the education sector as posing a threat to morality to the Somali children and threatened to target it with attacks. Several restaurants frequented by government officials were also attacked in Mogadishu. On June 24, a VBIED attack targeted a convoy carrying a UAE Ambassador to Somalia near Tarabunka junction in Mogadishu, and the Ambassador survived the attack. On June 26, AS fighters through the little-known group, Al-Hijra, conducted a complex attack on the Somali National Intelligence Agency headquarters in Mogadishu, killing several security personnel.