SOMALIA IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL: "BACK FROM THE BRINK"

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 USUN NEW YORK 000303 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/24/2018 TAGS: PREL PHUM KPKO UNSC ER SO SUBJECT: SOMALIA IN THE SECURITY COUNCIL: "BACK FROM THE BRINK" REF: A. USUN 292 ¶B. STATE 26517 ¶C. USUN 286 Classified By: Amb. Rosemary DiCarlo, for reasons 1.4 b/d. ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Security Council Members largely sidestepped the much-discussed issue of a UNPKO and instead pledged support for Somalia's new unity government in a March 20 Council debate on Somalia. Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Ould-Abdallah and Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Omaar both emphasized the need to help the new government show progress on security within its first 100 days. In a separate meeting, the FM told USUN that he hoped a UNPKO in Somalia would not be necessary, and that funding the 3300-strong Joint Security Forces (JSF) was his government's top priority. Both the SRSG and FM welcomed the U.S. statement publicly criticizing Eritrea for its role in destabilizing Somalia. On piracy, several nations welcomed the U.S.-led Contact Group and called for the international community to address piracy by dealing with its root causes on the ground in Somalia. End summary. -------------- SRSG on Sharif's first 100 days -------------- ¶2. (SBU) In a March 20 Security Council debate, SRSG Ould-Abdallah told the Council that Somalia was "back from the brink" and that the international community should work to ensure that the Sharif-Sharmarke's government's first 100 days were a success. He proposed that international partners build on the momentum of the new government's establishment through six steps: deepening coordination with the government to underscore its legitimacy; providing diplomatic and financial support to AMISOM; ensuring transparent and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance; ensuring that sanctions designations reinforce the political process; fighting impunity; and, tackling piracy off the Somali coast. He said that the new government should be included as a full partner in deliberations concerning the country and urged in particular that the government be informed of Somali government assets held in overseas banks or managed by international organizations (ref A). The SRSG noted that the Djibouti Agreement provides for "Justice and Reconciliation" and proposed that the fight against impunity could be pursued through domestic establishment of a truth and reconciliation commission or, alternatively, through UNSC action to establish a commission of inquiry. He announced that the Secretary-General's donors' conference for support to the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali security forces would take place on April 22 in Brussels. -------------- FM touts progress -------------- ¶3. (SBU) TFG Foreign Minister Omaar delivered an upbeat briefing on the new Somali government's accomplishments, highlighting the relocation of the government and parliament to Mogadishu. He claimed that "today in Somalia, there are no warlords, clan wars or political factions holding the country hostage" and said that the only threat to the peace process came from spoilers who refused to engage in dialogue. Omaar said that the TFG's security strategy would rely on the reinforcement of AMISOM and the mobilization of international resources to fund the JSF which would ultimately take responsibility for the capital's security. He asked that TFG be granted an arms embargo exemption to arm its forces and asked international partners to "make adjustments in attitudes and operational habits and procedures" by treating the TFG as a legitimate and representative government and consulting it fully on all decisions concerning Somalia. He also reiterated the TFG's determination to fight piracy and said the government looks to the international community for help in agreeing a plan to boost Somali capacity to fight piracy. -------------- Council pledges support -------------- ¶4. (SBU) In their statements, Council members, the AU and the Arab League all pledged support to the new Sharif-Sharmarke government and its efforts to expand the political process to include non-signatory groups. Members largely avoided polarizing debate over a possible UN peacekeeping operation for Somalia. Once exception was AU Peace and Security Commissioner Lamamra, who urged the SC to approve a follow-on USUN NEW Y 00000303 002 OF 003 force. China, Libya and Burkina Faso briefly mentioned their support of a UNPKO, while Turkey said that while it supported the idea, it was unlikely to be realistic "for some time to come." Russia said that it was ready to consider a UNPKO should a Somali commitment to security help establish the requisite conditions for deployment. France and the UK said only that they looked forward to revisiting the issue in May, following the SYG's April report under resolution 1863. The UK announced a GBP 10 million contribution to the SYG's trust fund for AMISOM. Mexico, which chairs the Somalia Sanctions Committee, said that it was important to ensure that sanctions effectively combat arms trafficking and reinforce the political process. France, Croatia and Costa Rica supported the SRSG's statement on impunity and Japan emphasized that all support to AMISOM should be approved through existing budgetary procedures. The Czech Republic, on behalf of the EU, announced a EUR 14 million donation to UNDP for security sector reform in Somalia. All Council members who spoke on piracy agreed that it was only a symptom of the larger crisis in Somalia. Norway praised the U.S. initiative to establish a contact group on Somalia piracy, while Malaysia alone spoke in favor of a UN naval force to counter piracy. -------------- SRSG welcomes U.S. statement on Eritrea -------------- ¶5. (SBU) Ambassador DiCarlo delivered the Department's statement (ref B) to the Council highlighting U.S. assistance to AMISOM and support for the Sharif-Sharmarke government, and singling out Eritrea's role in providing financial and logistical support to the Somali insurgency. SRSG Ould-Abdallah took the floor a second time at the close of the open debate to publicly thank the U.S. for raising the issue of Eritrea. Eritrea has no border with Somalia, he said, and no justification for interfering in internal Somali politics. -------------- FM wants to "defer" talk of PKO, supports U.S. stance on Eritrea -------------- ¶6. (C) In a subsequent bilateral meeting with Amb. DiCarlo, FM Omaar said that the government would like to "defer the June issue" of approving a UNPKO in order to preserve options as it built up its security forces, which he said would be "far, far more cost effective than a PKO." Omaar said these forces consisted of 1350 ARS troops, 1350 from the TFG and 600 who had just completed training in Uganda, for a total of approximately 3300, but that the TFG hoped to increase the JSF to a strength of 5000 within 6-12 months. He predicted that this would be sufficient to stabilize south-central Somalia with the exception of Kismayo. By following such a strategy, Omaar said he, President Sharif and other members of the cabinet hoped that the security situation could be stabilized without needing a PKO. He confidently described how insurgent tactics had shifted from confronting pro-government forces in the open to more low-profile IED attacks: he attributed this to a shift in popular loyalties that had made it more difficult for insurgents to find shelter among the population. ¶7. (C) The FM thanked Amb. DiCarlo for her assurances that the USG was prepared to offer $5 million to help train and equip these troops, and he said he hoped for U.S. assistance in generating further contributions from the Gulf and elsewhere to help pay stipends to the troops. Omaar said that once stood up, the JSF could complement AMISOM by providing "a perimeter, intelligence and follow-through" which would reduce casualties and improve relations between AMISOM and the community. ¶8. (C) FM Omaar told Amb. DiCarlo the TFG was ready to take on increased responsibility in fighting piracy. If the international community were prepared to support increased TFG and Puntland capacity to suppress piracy, he said, the national and regional authorities would be ready to sign. Regarding Somaliland, Omaar, a native Somalilander, predicted that Somaliland authorities would live up to their promise to discuss national reconciliation as soon as there were responsible authorities in the South with whom they could negotiate. He said that President Sharif and his administration would do all they could to fulfill their end of that bargain. ¶9. (C) Omaar also thanked Amb. DiCarlo for the U.S. statement on Eritrea's destabilizing activities in Somalia, emphasizing that he spoke for President Sharif and the cabinet as well. USUN NEW Y 00000303 003 OF 003 Noting that he had followed the career of Eritrean President Isaias for over 20 years, Omaar said that "Somalis have been far too patient and far too circumspect" in dealing with Eritrea and that the time might soon come for the TFG to speak out on the issue as well. He committed to speak with President Sharif about the issue upon his return to Mogadishu. Wolff