Ground troops from the US-backed AMISOM forces enter the town of Wanlaweyn in Somalia. The country has 17,000 troops occupying the Horn of Africa state on behalf of the Pentagon and NATO., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.
March 6, 2013
Security Council Loosens Somalian Arms Embargo
By RICK GLADSTONE
New York Times
The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously on Wednesday to temporarily rescind part of a 21-year-old arms embargo on Somalia, the East African country once considered synonymous with warlordism, piracy and anarchy, portraying the easing as part of an effort to strengthen the fragile Somalian government’s authority by permitting it to purchase light weapons.
A resolution adopted by the council also reauthorized, for one year, the African Union Mission to Somalia, a force of nearly 18,000 peacekeepers deployed in the country. Those troops are considered largely responsible for helping bring a measure of calm and stability to Somalia over the past 18 months by retaking territory formerly held by the Shabab, a fearsome Islamist militant group affiliated with Al Qaeda.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamed, who took office six months ago and has been strongly supported by the United States and Britain, had been pressing for an end to the United Nations arms embargo, arguing that it was outdated and impeded his ability to further empower Somali forces by ensuring that Shabab militants and their affiliates remain in retreat.
But a number of Security Council members worried that terminating the embargo would once again allow all manner of weapons to flow into the country, and not necessarily into the government’s hands.
There was also concern among some diplomats that the Somali military remains little more than an amalgam of former militia members who are not so disciplined as to warrant unfettered access to weapons.
The resulting language in the Security Council resolution, which was drafted by Britain, reflected a compromise.
“The council has struck the right balance,” Sir Mark Lyall Grant, Britain’s ambassador, told reporters at the United Nations after the resolution had been adopted. “It sends a positive political signal to President Hassan Sheikh, but it continues to give the council oversight of weapons flows into Somalia.”
He said the one-year suspension reflected the council’s desire to “support the federal government of Somalia in its own efforts to establish its own security and justice systems so that Somalis can have the peace and prosperity they deserve.”
The resolution permits the sale of weapons like automatic assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and other firearms with calibers that do not exceed 12.7 mm, which means a broad array of weapons remain off limits. These include surface-to-air missiles, antitank guided weapons, mines and night-vision goggles.
The arms embargo was imposed in 1992, after Somalia had descended into chaos with rival clan warlords dissecting the country into fiefs. Over the next two decades, the country became a haven for Islamic militants as well as profiteering pirates who raided ships off the Horn of Africa.
Some semblance of normality began to return a few years ago. An election for president and prime minister in 2012 was the first since 1991.
Somalia AU Special Representative Pays Tribute on AMISOM’s 6th Anniversary
BY: AMISOM | ON MARCH 6, 2013
Press Release
As the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) marks its 6th year anniversary, the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union
Commission (SRCC) for Somalia, Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif, has paid tribute to the men and women of AMISOM and thanked the Somali people for their support for the Mission.
He also extended his appreciation to the Troop Contributing Countries of
Uganda,Burundi,Kenya and Djibouti as well as Ethiopia.
“Today marks the 6th anniversary of AMISOM’s deployment to Somalia. Much has been achieved since that fateful day in 2007 and I pay tribute to the brave men and women who have helped put Somalia on the path to peace and security. I would also like to thank the people of Somalia who welcomed us with open arms. We continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with them as they work to rebuild their country and its institutions,” he said.
Ambassador Annadif noted that with the aid of AMISOM, the Somali National Security Forces have driven the Al-Qaeda-affiliated terror group, Al-Shabaab, from Somalia’s major urban centres including the capital Mogadishu. He said that the objective of the mission is to get rid of all Al-Shabaab cells so that Somalia can be a stable and peaceful country with a professional army.
“The resulting improvements in security have enabled the people of Somalia to successfully conclude the 8-year transition to a more representative and legitimate political order,” he said.
He added that AMISOM was helping to train the core of a rejuvenated Somali National Army as well as a Somali Police Force to help secure these gains in the long term. Last year, it deployed two Formed Police Units to Mogadishu, the first ever deployed by the AU.
“The Mission is helping to build governance capacity within the Federal Government of Somalia by training civil servants and working with local officials and civil society to enhance linkages to the central government and strengthen connections between citizens and the state,” he said. “We are also helping the government implement Quick Impact Projects such as rebuilding schools, roads, bridges, and medical facilities, as well as provide clean, potable water and temporary shelter for the internally displaced,” he added.
He said that the AU had completed a comprehensive review of AMISOM, the results of which had been transmitted to the UN Security Council, which is scheduled to vote on the re-authorization of the AMISOM mandate later today or tomorrow.
Source: AMISOM
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