SOMALIA: TFG PRESIDENT MEETS WITH AF ACTING

UNCLAS STATE 044011 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OVIP PREL PGOV EAID KPKO SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA: TFG PRESIDENT MEETS WITH AF ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARTER ON APRIL 23 REF: STATE 44005 ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY. Somalia Transitional Federal Government (TFG) President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed met with Bureau for African Affairs Acting Assistant Secretary Phillip Carter (AA/S) on April 23 on the margins of the international donors conference for the Somalia security sector and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in Belgium, Brussels, from April 22 to 23 (Reftel). The President and AA/S spent the majority of the meeting discussing the importance of building well-trained and effective Somalia security institutions, including a National Security Force (NSF) and Somalia Police Force (SPF). Other topics included discussions of the TFG,s current political reconciliation efforts and President Sharif,s views on the future of AMISOM and a possible United Nations Peacekeeping Operation (UNPKO). END SUMMARY. -------------- USG MESSAGE TO PRESIDENT SHARIF -------------- ¶2. (SBU) AA/S Carter stressed that the TFG,s immediate priority should be building a well-trained and effective NSF and SPF, and the international community,s focus must include the Somalia security institutions as well as continued support to AMISOM. AA/S Carter laid out certain structures that, once in place, will allow the TFG to leverage greater international support. These include financial accountability mechanisms; guarantees from the TFG that members of the NSF and SPF are not/not human rights violators, not/not past participants in terrorist activities, and not/not child soldiers; and an effective judiciary. ¶3. (SBU) AA/S Carter said the U.S. is willing to help with capacity building for the Somalia security institutions to ensure they are &rock solid and part of the solution8--a message AA/S Carter communicated to the Ministers of Defense and Foreign Affairs (ForMin) earlier at the conference (Reftel). However, the AA/S told the President the TFG needs to inform donors of what the NSF, SPF and judicial sectors will look like so the international community can coordinate and put the appropriate resources in place. AA/S Carter reminded the President of our offer to commit up to $500,000 to conduct a security sector assessment and help the TFG to construct its security institutions and structure as soon as the TFG is willing and able to begin such an effort. -------------- PRESIDENT SHARIF,S PRIORITIES -------------- ¶4. (SBU) President Sharif, with TFG ForMin Mohamed Omaar as his translator, began his remarks by thanking AA/S Carter and the United States for engaging on Somalia at such a high level of government. President Sharif stated security is the most important issue on the table and all other issues in Somalia at the moment are tied to security in one way or another. Regarding the Somalia security institutions, Sharif stated that a lot of work is needed: bringing more women into the ranks of the NSF and SPF, obtaining materials and equipment, drafting the rules and regulations that will govern these institutions, and forging into the minds of those in the NSF and SPF that they work for ordinary Somalis. ¶5. (SBU) Regarding selecting individuals to form the ranks of the NSF and SPF, the President stated, &The requirements from the international community for the TFG are clear, but the international community must understand that the people on the ground in Mogadishu include a lot of ex-warlords and people engaged in illegal activities.8 AA/S Carter responded that the United States understands this, but the TFG &needs people who are not/not weighed down by history and who are looking to the future.8 The AA/S also noted the United States remains concerned that some members already selected to serve in the NSF may be underage and this must be addressed. The President stated an immediate focus of the TFG will be retraining and reeducating those in the security services. He also stated his government will find a way to combine TFG and Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia forces so they work together in a new system, and the government will not/not take everyone who applies but will be selective. President Sharif informed AA/S Carter that the TFG is in the process of designing a selection process to accomplish this task, as well as selecting individuals to comprise the Joint Security Committee. -------------- POLITICAL RECONCILIATION EFFORTS -------------- ¶6. (SBU) Sharif spoke about political reconciliation efforts currently underway. The President reported that the TFG is focused on conducting a &grass roots reconciliation effort8 in order to reach out to the public, and this process &is going very well.8 Regarding al-Shabaab, President Sharif stated, &We do not/not believe there is much hope that al-Shabaab will come to the table.8 On a different note, President Sharif volunteered that &part of Hisbul al-Islam is open to dialogue, but not/not the whole organization.8 -------------- THE FUTURE OF AMISOM AND A POSSIBLE UNPKO -------------- ¶7. (SBU) AA/S Carter asked President Sharif what the TFG,s thinking is on the segue between AMISOM and the NSF, to which the President responded, &AMISOM is needed, but the immediate objective should be to fund Somali forces--which is important for AMISOM and the success of the TFG.8 ¶8. (SBU) COMMENT. In this context, the TFG sees the need to strengthen AMISOM as a critical element of its own security efforts. It is also apparent that the TFG looks to take its own security from an AU force rather than a UNPKO. Even if 100 percent of the USD 213 million donors pledged at the conference goes toward supporting AMISOM vice the Somalia security sector, AMISOM will remain significantly underfunded and will continue to depend on unreliable and sporadic bilateral donations instead of a reliable and steady funding stream. The UN has estimated in public it will cost at least USD 600 million to support AMISOM for one year of operations at the mandated force strength of 8,000 and with the Mission operating at basic UNPKO standards. Furthermore, Burundi and Uganda, the two troop contributing countries to AMISOM, have indicated that consistent support to their troops under the rubric of the U.N. is critical to their continued operations. END COMMENT. CLINTON