Mogadishu 14 January, 2010 ::  UN, European embassies in Nairobi said planning to host Somali media conference text of report by Swedish-based Somali Dayniile website on 13 January.

Reports reaching us from the United Nations political office for Somalia indicate that the United Nations Development Programme [UNDP] and some European embassies in Nairobi [Kenya] are planning to hold a joint conference for Somali media sometime in the month of February.

The conference which will also be held as a joint initiative by the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia's Ministry of Information and office of the United Nations Special Envoy to Somalia, Ahmadou Ould Abdallah in Nairobi will also seek to form an umbrella organization for Somali journalists who are currently working in one of the most dangerous parts of the world.

The main reason for this conference is said to be because of internal conflict and the chaos within Somali media caused by groups claiming to represent their interest but then fail to provide the required assistance.

A diplomat in Nairobi has told Dayniile that the need to hold the conference arose due widespread confusion about who is actually in control of the Somali media and so, they have had to ask the TFG Ministry of Information to intervene and establish some order on that front.

"We are confused about who exactly is in charge of the Somali media. The last we knew, a man named Omar Faruk was in charge but then we saw some emails in which he was threatening some of the journalists that were subjected to suffering in Somalia," said the diplomat.
 

"It is quite unfortunate, if at all true, that the leader of the Somali media would threaten the same people he should be representing. We are hopeful the Somali media will work together at this difficult time. They should also appoint a representative who is known in the media circles and who is actively practicing as a media practitioner," said the diplomat.

Ever since reports of the conference for Somali media came to light, journalists have been exchanging bitter words on email some of which have been recently leaked to the media. Somali media has been faced with widespread confusion as there are many groups claiming to represent them which are led by individuals who themselves are not in the media industry. These individuals put their own personal interest before those of the journalists they claim to represent.

Source: Dayniile website in Somali 13 Jan 10
BBC Mon AF1 AFEau MD1 Media 140110 yah-mj

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