UN/SOMALIA SANCTIONS: NEW SANCTIONS MONITORING

C O N F I D E N T I A L USUN NEW YORK 000589 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/03/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM ETTC DTFN UNSC SO SUBJECT: UN/SOMALIA SANCTIONS: NEW SANCTIONS MONITORING GROUP BRIEFS COMMITTEE Classified By: Minister-Counselor Jeffrey DeLaurentis for reasons 1.4 ( b) and (d). ¶1. (C) This is an action request. See para 9. ¶2. (C) Summary: The newly reestablished Monitoring Group on Somalia briefed the Somalia Committee on how they plan to implement their mandate. Matt Bryden, coordinator of the group, spoke about recent trends, the ongoing peace process, and the recent escalation of violence. He stressed that the group would seek to continue the work begun in the previous group's report, focusing on issues such as arms transfers, piracy, and illicit financial transactions. The group will travel to the region on July 2 to begin their work. After the briefing, the Committee discussed the issue of specific targeted measures against individuals or entities who block the peace process or breach the arms embargo. Delegations were instructed to submit recommendations to the Committee by July 3. The Committee will then compile and finalize recommendations before providing them to the Security Council by the July 14 deadline. End summary. Somalia Monitoring Group: Shifting Situation on the Ground -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) The Somalia Sanctions Committee welcomed the Monitoring Group on Somalia, which was reestablished by the SYG pursuant to UNSCR 1811 (2008). The four-member team, consisting of Matt Bryden (Coordinator),Gilbert Charles Barthe, Charles M. Lengalenga, and Ignatius Yaw Kwantwi-Mensah, briefed the Committee on recent trends in Somalia and how they plan to address their mandate. Bryden highlighted the political and military dimensions, focusing on the ongoing peace process and the escalation of violence in some parts of Somalia. He noted the appearance of new armed groups and the splintering of existing ones. He praised the report of the previous monitoring group for its comprehensiveness and stressed that the new group's approach would be one of continuity. Bryden said their goal is to pick up on existing themes and address some of the outstanding issues. They will travel to Nairobi next week to begin their work. ¶4. (C) Barthe, a Swiss customs expert, focused on the group's work tracing weapons and identifying missiles seized by insurgents. He said the group would examine training and logistical support to the security sector, ensuring that such programs follow established exemptions. Kwantwi-Mensah, a Ghanaian arms and transport expert, spoke about maritime issues and the need to address piracy and armed robbery at sea. Lengalenga, a Zambian finance expert, said that the group would examine both internal and external funding for the insurgency. He noted reports that "quite a bit" of Somali currency has been printed outside the country and that some parties aligned with the TFG might be participating in such activity. Lengalenga also said that the monitoring group would explore whether and to what extent NGOs and charities are involved in unauthorized activities. He reported that the group will also monitor multilateral and bilateral aid flows in order to expose those that are diverting aid for their own purposes. ¶5. (C) Bryden conveyed the need to ensure that states are aware of possible exemptions and that eligible activities are not reported as violations because of procedural flaws or ambiguities. Bryden observed that the TFG does not explicitly have an exemption but must understand how to assist in monitoring and preventing violations. He acknowledged the security challenges of operating in Somalia and emphasized that the group will try to travel as much as possible in country. ¶6. (C) France, Russia, Belgium, Italy, and Burkina Faso all expressed their support for the monitoring group. France emphasized that protection for vessels transporting food and other humanitarian shipments should not be considered a violation of the embargo. (Note: There was no discussion of the June 13 letter sent by the Somali PermRep conveying the TFG's "strongest objection" to Bryden's appointment as coordinator. End Note.) Committee Will Send Recommendations on Targeted Sanctions -------------- -------------- ¶7. (C) After the briefing by the new monitoring group, the Committee discussed the issue of specific targeted measures against individuals or entities who block the peace process or breach the arms embargo. Pursuant to paragraphs 6 and 7 of UNSCR 1814 (2008),the Committee was instructed to provide recommendations on such measures by July 14. The UK was joined by Russia in emphasizing that the Committee was instructed to recommend the types of measures that might be applied rather than identifying a specific list of individuals or entities. The Committee could, the UK noted, compile such a list at a later date, but the UK would not want those who have participated in the peace process to be specifically targeted. ¶8. (C) France reiterated that it was more than prepared to begin discussions on individual sanctions and stressed that it should be done in close cooperation with the SRSG. Russia concurred that the Committee should consult with the SRSG because the primary negotiator would have useful advice about the timing of such measures and their impact on the peace process. Italy mentioned that targeted sanctions have typically consisted of travel restrictions and the freezing of assets, but that there might be specific recommendations from the main mediator. The chair instructed delegations to get instructions from their capitals and send recommendations in writing to the chair or Committee secretary by July 3 at 4:00 p.m. ¶9. (C) Action Request: USUN requests Department guidance on recommendations the Committee should make to the Council on whether to impose targeted sanctions on individuals or entities who block the peace process or breach the arms embargo. End Action Request. Khalilzad