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


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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.


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