FOREIGN MINISTER SEYOUM ON SOMALIA: INTERNATIONAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 000092 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF AND AF/E LONDON, PARIS ROME FOR AF WATCHER CJTF-HOA FOR POLAD E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/12/2017 TAGS: AU EAID MOPS PREL PTER ET SO SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTER SEYOUM ON SOMALIA: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY NEEDS TO ACT NOW REF: ADDIS ABABA 87 (RETRANSMITTED AS ADDIS 89 TO ALL ADDRESSEES) Classified By: DCM Janet Wilgus for reasons 1.4 B and D. ¶1. (C) Summary. Foreign Minister Seyoum briefed Addis Ababa-based Ambassadors Donor Group on Somalia on January 11, making two main points: 1) the dispatch of a stabilization force to Somalia, and especially Mogadishu, is urgent, and the international community should engage at all levels to make this happen; and 2) the TFG is actively taking steps towards national reconciliation and dialogue; the international community should not try to micro-manage this Somali-Somali effort. Immediate delivery of assistance for humanitarian needs and for the transitional process will serve to create hope and strengthen the reconciliation process. End summary. ¶2. (C) On January 11 Foreign Minister Seyoum gave a briefing on Somalia to the Addis Ababa-based Ambassadors Donor Group (ADG, a grouping of countries that provide support to Ethiopia; about 24 countries and international organizations (UNDP, AfDB) were represented.) -------------- -- Support and encourage TFG but no conditionality -------------- -- ¶3. (C) FM Seyoum emphasized the importance of immediate international community engagement to take advantage of the new reality in Somalia. He cautioned the ADG that they should not try to micromanage the Somali reconciliation and dialogue process, stating that there should be no conditionality and no outside attempts to place specific individuals within the process. Somalis must manage this process themselves, he emphasized, and he appealed for outsiders to give Somalis the benefit of the doubt; encourage and support them, but place no conditions on support. He specifically mentioned travel of the TFG Speaker of Parliament to Brussels, Italy and elsewhere in Europe as not helpful. ¶4. (C) Specific action to support the TFG in its reconciliation efforts, the FM said, should include highly visible humanitarian assistance as well as cash support that would enable the TFG to create a regular national military and integrate the clan militias into a national force; to set up local police forces; and to provide some livelihood support for those not eligible for military or law enforcement recruitment. FM Seyoum stated that Kenya has provided $1 million to the TFG, which is currently without resources. ¶5. (C) FM Seyoum also called on the ADG to support and encourage the establishment of a "neutral stabilization force" recruited from African countries. He stated that Kenya has sent missions to nine African countries and that next week Ethiopia delegations would be traveling to 11 African countries. The international community must step up to ensure that there is no security vacuum in Somalia and should provide its encourage and support to African countries as well. The African Union assessment mission to Somalia, which may report early next week, is also an important step in gaining regional support. -------------- Warlords: We didn't do it for you -------------- ¶6. (C) Addressing the questions of security in Mogadishu, FM Seyoum said that Ethiopia did not go into Somalia to bring back warlordism, and they have made this abundantly clear to the TFG and the warlords. The TFG president is meeting with warlords (many of whom are parliamentarians) in Baidoa (and those currently in Mogadishu have been ordered back to Baidoa),he said, in order to negotiate a disarmament and reintegration plan. Such a plan calls for setting up five camps throughout Somalia where militias can register and be recruited into the new national military or assisted with livelihood support. Former warlords need to become part of ADDIS ABAB 00000092 002 OF 002 the transitional political process. FM Seyoum reminded the ADG that Somalis are tired of conflict and stated that Ethiopian troops are not imposing stability -- the Somalis themselves are working to make this happen. -------------- ... and phased withdrawal -------------- ¶7. (C) Ethiopia will not stay indefinitely in Somalia, FM Seyoum stated. He expected that there would be phased withdrawal over a fairly short period. While he said that the arrival of a neutral peace-keeping force is not a pre-condition for Ethiopian withdrawal, he called on the international community to take the responsibility to ensure that there is no security vacuum in Somalia. YAMAMOTO