SOMALIA - Diaspora in Dubai Meets DAS Wycoff

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 NAIROBI 001298

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR AF/E AND A/S CARSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ECON KWMN AE SO
SUBJECT: SOMALIA - Diaspora in Dubai Meets DAS Wycoff

Ref: A) Nairobi 1173
B) 08 Nairobi 2618
C) 08 Nairobi 2619

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Summary
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1. (SBU) Between June 3 and 6, visiting Acting Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for African Affairs (DAS) Karl Wycoff met with
representatives of Somalia's dispora community residing in Dubai.
DAS Wycoff held a series of small group discussions with community
organizers, business leaders, industry groups and a question and
answer session for 50 participants hosted by the Somali Consulate in
Dubai. DAS Wycoff highlighted U.S. policy toward Somalia, focusing
on our humanitarian and security priorities. Common themes
expressed by the Somali representatives included: U.S. leadership is
fundamental to achieving success in Somalia; the TFG and President
Sharif must be supported; willingness to contribute to peace-making
and reconstruction; public-private partnerships could allow the U.S.
to work in inaccessible areas; business remains a uniting factor
that trumps regional and clan differences. The Dubai-based
diaspora also offered several recommendations for U.S. engagement on
Somalia and for more regular exchanges with this influential
community. DAS Wycoff announced that he would ask USAID
representatives to return to Dubai to lead a training session on the
certification process to become a grantee or contractor to enable
partnerships with new organizations. End Summary.

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Outreach to UAE Somali Diaspora
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2. (U) Between June 3 and 6, DAS Wycoff visited the United Arab
Emirates and met with representatives of Somalia's diaspora
community residing in Dubai. Another key aspect of the visit was
DAS Wycoff's meeting with UAE officials who expressed their
government's support for the TFG (ref a). In order to interact with
representatives of this influential UAE-based Somali comunity, DAS
Wycoff held a series of small group discussions with community
organizers, business leaders, industry groups and a question and
answer session for 50 participants hosted by the Somali Consulate in
Dubai.


3. (U) One of the unique features of this community is that its
representatives maintain strong business ties with Somalia, and have
significant control of the commercial traffic in and out of the
country (ref b). Because of their critical role in supplying basic
goods and services in all regions of Somalia, as well as to the
transitional government and other groups, these business leaders
also have significant influence in the political arena (ref c). DAS
Wycoff's visit enabled us to hear perspectives from this group and
gave us the opportunity to explain U.S. policy toward Somalia.


4. (SBU) During his visit, DAS Wycoff met with approximate 100
Somalis living and working in the UAE. DAS Wycoff focused on our
humanitarian and security priorities while encouraging increased
engagement with Somali diaspora communities worldwide. He detailed
U.S. initiatives, emphasizing the greater role that the United
States can play when Somalia is ready for post-conflict
stabilization. With representatives of Somalia's Transitional
Federal Government (TFG),including TFG Ambassador to UAE Ahmed
Mohamed Egal and TFG Consul General in Dubai Abdul Kadir Al-Hatimi,
DAS Wycoff spoke of our effort to generate significant regional
support for Somalia from the Gulf States. The TFG officials
welcomed our initiative, stating that with U.S. encouragement,
countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE would surely release
promised donations and push the Arab League for a greater supportive
role.

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U.S. Leadership Fundamental to Success
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5. (SBU) Our interlocutors overwhelmingly welcomed U.S. commitment
in Somalia, with one stating, "There is no better partner than the
U.S." Another said, "As leader of the international community, the
U.S. has a moral obligation to help Somalia." The most salient
point made during all of the meetings was that increased U.S.

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involvement in Somalia will be critical to achieving peace,
establishing stability and supporting a sustainable government in
the country. Many told us that U.S. engagement was long overdue and
encouraged increased financial and material support to the TFG, and
more support directly to the people of Somalia.


6. (SBU) While they encouraged greater U.S. involvement, many in
the diaspora also acknowledged that Somalis themselves are the
problem. One Puntland-based businessman said that Somalis initially
supported piracy and now they are paying the price. In several
sessions, the participants told us they accept responsibility for
the current state of affairs in the country and are committed to
helping the situation. DAS Wycoff cautioned that while the U.S. is
engaged in Somalia, no conflict can be solved by the U.S. and that
ultimately, it is up to the Somalis to fix the country. He invited
our interlocutors to think about what the U.S. can do with them, not
for them.

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TFG and President Sharif
Must be Supported
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7. (SBU) Many Somalis and seasoned Somalia-watchers identify the
business community as being at the root of Somalia's political
upheavals and violence. They charge that business leaders benefit
from an operating environment with no government intervention and
are profiting in the chaos. When we asked the Dubai representatives
about these critiques, they all shot back that these charges could
not be farther from the truth. The business leaders said that in
the absence of government, it is they who have helped the people,
providing all the public goods and services that have sustained
Somalia over the last two decades. Many maintained that in the
current environment, they pay taxes to the government, but are also
forced to pay other "taxes" to various groups in areas where they
seek to do business, pay exorbitant security costs, incur
prohibitive insurance fees to ship goods into Somalia, and other
unforeseen fees which make it impossible to accurately estimate
transaction costs. All the business leaders agreed that their
interests would be better served with a stable government.


8. (SBU) While they voiced certain critiques of President Sharif
and his cabinet, all agreed that this TFG was the best opportunity
that Somalia has enjoyed in a long time and they are committed to
its success. When DAS Wycoff discussed the financial and material
support the U.S. has given the TFG, many representatives voiced
concern over transparency and accountability. They said that while
they believed that President Sharif was honest, "those around him
are corrupt." Many made the case that while Sharif may not be
ideal, al-Shabaab is not a viable alternative. They were highly
critical of al-Shabaab, Hassan Dahir Aweys, and the "radical"
influence taking hold in Somalia to "foment violence and recruit
Somali youth to support terrorism."


9. (SBU) DAS Wycoff underscored U.S. commitment to the TFG while
emphasizing that, at the same time, the spoilers must be prevented
from undermining the TFG. He asked for the cooperation of the
business leaders in helping us identify these spoilers by providing
actionable information.

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Accepting Responsibility for
Peace-making and Reconstruction
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10. (SBU) Many of the participants complained that the TFG does not
reach out to them. (Note: Several of the businessmen we met were
active during the Djibouti Process. They came to Djibouti to
support favorite candidates and provided financial backing for their
campaigns. End Note.) While many were very close to Sheikh Sharif
during his days with the Islamic Courts Union, now, they said,
Sharif no longer comes to us. "We only see ministers when they come
through Dubai for money." They said that while they have many areas
of expertise, the TFG does not ask for advice or call on them for
strategic assistance. Instead, our contacts maintained that they
only receive ad hoc requests for funds and to pay for the hotels,
meals, and the expenses of TFG representatives when they come
through Dubai.


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11. (SBU) When we emphasized that there must be more open lines of
communication between the business leaders and the transitional
government, they acknowledged that both sides share the blame. One
businessman frankly stated that politicians and business people are
sharing commercial successes while "living on the blood of the
people." He acknowledged that all of them are guilty of selling to
people on all sides of the conflict and that they own (and profit)
from the hospitals where others are treated. One stated, "If we do
not do something now, Somalia as we know it will cease to exist."

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Public-Private Partnerships and
New Paradigms for U.S. Engagement
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12. (SBU) When we emphasized the U.S. priority toward the
humanitarian crisis, and that the U.S. was the largest donor in this
area, the Dubai-based community was unimpressed. While they stated
an appreciation for U.S. efforts, many believed that the benefits of
our enormous humanitarian investment did not reach the people who
need it most. Several made the point that humanitarian assistance
would be better used in more sustainable development projects where
Somalis could "see" U.S. efforts on the ground. They recommended
infrastructure projects like school renovations, repairs of fields
and courts for youth to engage in sports activities, and other
initiatives they claimed would better serve their communities. They
insisted that because they know how to operate in these inaccessible
environments, they are well-placed to help implement these
initiatives.


13. (SBU) Several of the Dubai-based leaders with whom DAS Wycoff
met were also present at the workshop for private sector leaders in
Djibouti that took place on April (ref d). They re-iterated their
commitment to help provide opportunities for youth employment and
engagement. They raised the idea of establishing public-private
partnerships in some of the more stable areas of the country where
they could launch employment-generating activities. They indicated
a strong desire to work directly with the United States on these
efforts. Our interlocutors heavily criticized the "Nairobi mafia"
of UN agencies, NGOs and donors, who have grown too accustomed to
the status quo. They invited us to think more creatively and to
support new ideas coming from Somalis themselves.


14. (SBU) DAS Wycoff emphasized that we are indeed not interested
in "business as usual" and are actively looking for new partners to
help us implement projects and programs. Responding to the critique
that Somali and international NGOs working with the international
community in Somalia have made it impossible for new entrants, DAS
Wycoff announced that he would ask USAID representatives to return
to Dubai to lead a training session on the certification process to
become a grantee or contractor. The Dubai-based interlocutors
positively responded to the idea of a workshop on this subject.

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Business Remains a
Uniting Factor
--------------


15. (SBU) The industry-specific groups emphasized that operating
businesses inside Somalia forces them to work in all regions. The
shipping companies told us that they bring commodities (including
U.S.-funded humanitarian assistance) into all markets, and therefore
negotiate and interact with all the authorities on the ground. They
asserted that while politicians benefit from clan differences, the
role of the clan is limited by profit and loss calculations in the
world of business. The TFG Consul General told us that for the
Somalis in Dubai, money comes first, then clan alliances, and then
religion. He did note that the majority of the community tends to
closely adhere to Islamic practices and beliefs. (Note: During all
of our meetings, the participants took a break for prayers. End
Note.)


16. (SBU) The participants in one group agreed with the assertion
by one of the most prominent representatives that each has achieved
individual success, but that they have been a collective failure.
They acknowledged that in some cases, money has been at the root of
conflict. The group of business leaders from Somaliland volunteered
to provide technical guidance for Sharia-based investment options
for Somalis in the diaspora and others from Gulf states seeking to

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invest in Somalia. They discussed starting an umbrella organization
and developing a mechanism to ensure accountability for smaller
local NGOs to provide direct benefits in their communities.

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Women's Voices
Are Silenced
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17. (SBU) In all of the meetings, only men were present. The
business leaders and the TFG officials recommended a separate
meeting for women to engage with DAS Wycoff in a setting where "they
would feel more comfortable sharing their ideas." Two outspoken
women leaders from the Somali diaspora community ended up
representing a larger group, many of whom could not attend the
session due to prior commitments. (Note: Many of the Somali women
in Dubai own or work in shops and are involved in smaller-scale
trade. Some of these women have become very successful and like
their male counter-parts, are highly diversified, operating
companies across industry. End Note.)


18. (SBU) The women expressed frustration with events and
opportunities targeting the "business community," where they are
given no role. One said that all of the men fuel and are involved
in the conflict and should not be trusted with any money from the
U.S. They lamented that the international community has focused too
much on warlords and businessmen without consideration for Somali
intellectuals. They also cautioned us not to make decisions on
clan-based criteria, emphasizing that the 4.5 formula for clan
representation should be abolished.


19. (SBU) The women community leaders asked that we encourage the
Somalis to build civil society in Dubai and in other diaspora
communities. They said that Somalis are willing to work hard for
the benefit of their country, but that the transitional government
is only giving a selected few the opportunity to serve. They
recommended that President Sharif outline a clear agenda for his
government and said the Dubai-based community is willing to help him
in this effort. Other ways that the women felt they could
contribute include: empowering local organizations by providing
oversight and accountability for aid, encouraging other groups who
have remained outside of the political process to participate,
bringing a focus on women in Somalia and the diaspora.

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Recommendations for Future Engagement
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20. (U) During the course of the discussions, the representatives
shared with us the following recommendations for U.S. engagement on
Somalia:

-- Significant U.S. financial support needed, especially for
security sector assistance and reform
-- Support the development of a national military through training
and equipment
-- Demand transparency and accountability for any financial
resources provided
-- Sustained political and diplomatic support
-- Open a Somali embassy in Washington as an important signal of
U.S. support to the TFG
-- Continue a Somali-led reconciliation process, where the U.S. and
others are not attempting to "pick winners"
-- International organizations and diplomatic missions must
re-locate to Somalia
-- Shift to more small-scale development projects, instead of
focusing on large long-term initiatives which inevitably stall
-- Focus on public-private partnerships with business leaders in
areas difficult for the U.S. and others to access
-- Reward Somaliland for embracing democratic norms and processes
-- Shift development efforts to areas where there are effective
regional administrations
-- Communities living in peace should receive "peace dividends" to
encourage other areas to work toward peaceful settlements
-- Expand secular education, including vocational and technical
schools
-- Provide opportunities for teacher training and exchanges with
U.S. universities
-- Involve Somali intellectuals in the nation-building process

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-- Create quick impact opportunities for youth in all regions to
reduce violence and stop flow of illegal migration
-- Support the media, educational organizations, and
non-governmental institutions
-- Strongly address the negative role that Eritrea is playing in
Somalia


21. (U) Post appreciates the assistance of Embassy Abu Dhabi and
Consulate General Dubai in arranging DAS Wycoff's visit.

RANNEBERGER