On
Somalia, UNSC
Disputes
Paragraphs on
Ships, EU
& Study
of Funding,
Arms Embargo
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 4 --
On the Somalia
resolution
pending in the
UN
Security
Council, the
European
"cheapness"
on which Inner
City Press reported
November 1
continues,
even as the
November 7
extended
expiration of
the mandate of
the AMISON
mission
approaches.
As
issue is
proposed
Operative
Paragraph 5 of
the draft,
which says the
Security
Council
"Expresses
its
intention to
review
AMISOM's
authorised
tasks as
provided for
in
paragraph 1 of
this
resolution
within four
months ofthe
date of this
resolution and
no longer than
six months,
including
reassessing
the
utility of a
maritime
component."
African
and
other members
of the
Security
Council have
asked the
European
members why
they are
adverse to
paying for the
Kenyan naval
component
which, even
outside of
AMISOM and its
ostensible
human rights
standards,
help drive Al
Shabaab out of
Kismayo.
The
responses have
ranged from
wanting more
information
about the
maritime
component --
one source
counters, it's
a little late,
isn't
it? -- to not
wanting the
Kenyan Navy to
take over from
the
Europeans'
own
anti-piracy
Operation
ATALANTA.
Click here
for previous
Inner City
Press coverage
of that.
An
African
diplomatic
source told
Inner City
Press, "It
seems
the Europeans
don't want
their
parliaments to
see that the
fight against
piracy could
be done better
and cheaper
than they are
doing it."
Another
compared
this standoff
to past
reimbursements,
including
depreciation,
to Germany for
its ships off
Lebanon in the
UNIFIL
mission.
The
United States,
whose Under
Secretary of
State for
Political
Affairs
Wendy Sherman
was as of
Friday rumored
to be on the
way to
Mogadishu,
is said to
oppose another
paragraph, OP
10, which
would say the
Security
Council
"welcomes
support
to AMISOM by
the African
Union's
partners,
especially
through
the European
Union's
African Peace
Facility, but
notes the
limited
resources of
this facility
in the context
of AMISOM' s
mandate
renewal,
underlines the
importance of
predictable
and
sustainable
funding for
AMISOM, as
called for by
the AU, and
requests the
Secretary
General, in
consultation
with the AU,
to include in
his
upcoming
review options
and
recommendations
for AMISOM's
funding."
African
members
have asked,
what's wrong
with at least
at least
studying
this?
On
the Somalia
arms embargo,
a concern has
arisen the
lifting the
embargo might
help
Somaliland and
Puntland
become more
independent.
On the
charcoal
sales, the
draft would
have the
Council noting
the
"intention of
the Somali
authorities to
study this
unique
situation
further, and
expressing its
willingness to
take further
action, if
appropriate
and in
consultation
with the
Somali
authorities,
to address
this
situation."
On
November 2,
this month's
Security
Council
president
Hardeep Singh
Puri of India
told Inner
City Press he
doesn't like
"kicking the
can down the
road." Watch
this site.
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