SOMALIA/PIRACY: UPDATE ON UK THINKING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 LONDON 000954 SIPDIS NOFORN DEPARTMENT FOR AF/E DEPARTMENT ALSO FOR PM/PPA (DONNA HOPKINS) E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2019 TAGS: PTER PREL MOPS MARR EWWT XW XF SO EUN UK SUBJECT: SOMALIA/PIRACY: UPDATE ON UK THINKING Classified By: Political Counselor Richard Mills, reasons 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C/NF) Summary. Foreign Office Minister for Africa Lord Mark Malloch-Brown's April 23 intervention at the Brussels meeting on Somali Security Institutions outlined current UK thinking on Somalia and piracy, which the UK plans to flesh out in a draft non-paper for discussion at the May 7-8 UK-led working group on piracy in London, according to Cabinet Office Senior Africa Policy Advisor Anna French (strictly protect throughout). French explained Somalia's political process has been a priority for the Foreign Office, and counter-terrorism (CT) and piracy have been priorities for the Ministry of Defense and others. Cabinet Office is working to draw the three strands of the political process, piracy, and CT together in an overarching UK policy, especially given the prevailing concerns about effective piracy deterrents also pushing disaffected Somali youth into the hands of Somalia-based extremist organizations. At the same time, the UK has been considering mechanisms for the international community to deter piracy. Senior civil servants will meet the week of April 27, with Cabinet Office Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Margaret Aldred chairing, to finalize recommendations for Ministers to consider at a May 6 sub-Cabinet Committee meeting on Africa. End summary. Malloch-Brown's Statement Outlines UK Thinking -------------- - ¶2. (C/NF) Cabinet Office Senior Africa Policy Advisor Anna French (strictly protect throughout) explained to poloff April 24 that Foreign Office Minister for Africa Lord Mark Malloch-Brown's April 23 intervention at the Brussels meeting on Somali Security Institutions outlined current UK on Somalia and piracy. The key points include the following: - The UK supports the Djibouti Process, and security and reconciliation are fundamentally linked and must move forward hand in hand. - The Somali Government has the responsibility for security, though the international community will provide support, including through assistance to AMISOM. - The Somali Government must create and maintain civilian structures for command, control, and oversight of the security sector and to ensure the Somali Police Force and National Security Force are able to fully meet their responsibilities. - The UK supports establishment and expansion of the Joint Security Committee, international assistance for Somali security forces, financing development of a National Security Committee, and providing technical assistance to ministries and oversight bodies responsible for policing and security. - Piracy at sea is inextricably linked with the situation on the ground in Somalia. The international community needs to address piracy by providing security to international shipping and deterring future attacks and through addressing the political and development challenges on-shore that give rise to piracy. ¶3. (C/NF) French said the UK plans to flesh out these ideas in a draft non-paper for discussion at the May 7-8 UK-led working group on piracy in London. She further highlighted that Somalia's political process had been a priority for the Foreign Office, and counter-terrorism (CT) and piracy has been a priority for MOD and others. The Cabinet Office is working to draw the three strands of the political process, piracy, and CT together in an overarching UK policy because there is particular concern that effective piracy deterrents will also push disaffected Somali youth into the hands of Somalia-based extremist organizations. Particular attention needs to be paid to providing alternative forms of livelihood for would-be pirates. Deterring Piracy LONDON 00000954 002 OF 002 -------------- ¶4. (C/NF) At the same time, French said, the UK has been considering mechanisms for the international community to employ to deter piracy. Some of the early ideas, which have not been vetted in the UK's inter-agency process, include the following: - Discouragement of ransom payments and penalties for those who pay them; - Ships convoying together, though it would likely create delays for ships to join convoys; - Enhanced security on-board ships; - Ships taking more responsibility for their own security; - Following the financing and proceeds of piracy, possibility putting pressures on countries like the UAE to do more on finance-related issues; - Working with regional states to take more responsibility and supporting regional navies, security institutions, and courts; and, - Providing land-based training for Somali regional governments, like Puntland. ¶5. (C/NF) Senior civil servants will meet the week of April 27, with Cabinet Office Director of Foreign and Defense Policy Margaret Aldred chairing, to finalize recommendations for Ministers to consider at a May 6 sub-Cabinet Committee meeting on Africa, in advance of the May 7-8 piracy working group meeting in London. Visit London's Classified Website: http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Unit ed_Kingdom LEBARON