On
Somalia, US
Still Disputes
Funding Study,
So Roll Over 4
Months, Past
Rice and S.
Africa
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 6 --
On the Somalia
resolution
pending in the
UN Security
Council, the
European
"cheapness"
on which Inner
City Press reported
November 1
continues --
now joined by
mounting US
aversion to another
provision,
Operative
Paragraph (OP)
10.
The result is
that 24 hours
before the
extended
deadline of
the Somalia
mission's
mandate, the
UK penned
resolution
with a one
year extension
has still not
been put "in
blue" and
ready for
voting. Rather
a mere four
month
extension was
being
prepared.
When Inner
City Press
asked this
month's
Security
Council
president
Hardeep Singh
Puri about it
on November 2,
he expressed
opposition to
another short
term roll
over. But that
now seems
possible.
It appears
that the UK is
more concerned
with the
position of
the US than
the African
Union, which
wants the
Kenyan
maritime
component in.
The US is said
to oppose 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?
More recently
they have
proposed more
vague
language,
about Ban
Ki-moon
looking into
the funding
issue with the
AU. But the UK
tells them
this might
still be too
much.
A well placed
source mused
to Inner City
Press that the
four month
kicking the
can down the
road might be
so "Susan Rice
is off the
Security
Council, and
South Africa
is off the
Security
Council."
The latter is
certain --
Rwanda
formally joins
on January 1
-- while the
latter seems
based on an
adverse result
on the day of
the quote, or
ascension to
Foggy Bottom.
(A wise
analysis says
Kerry's
ascention
might, if
Scott Brown
loses to
Elizabeth
Warren, make
Brown favored
to take and
"re-hat"
Kerry's Bay
State Senate
seat.
But enough of
US politics --
"that's
what the UK
says"
-- the
re-hatting
we'll stay
focused on
here is of
AMISOM.
On the
Somalia arms
embargo, a
concern has
arisen that
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."
Also
at 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.
Germany's
foreign
minister
Westerwelle is
slated to be
at the UN on
Wednesday --
rain or shine.
Watch this
site.
, 
