Salah Ismail Nur alias Salah Badbaado who is a former MP [who recently quit and joined H.S.M.] has said senior American commanders are present in areas that are under the control of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia [TFG] to protect their interests in the country.
Salah said these commanders are in Mogadishu to pursue American interests in Somalia and said there is a possibility that they might carry out powerful explosion attacks in civilian areas that are densely populated in order to make it look like they were carried out by the Al-Shabab movement.
Badbaado said some of the issues that are ongoing in areas that are under the control of the TFG are unbearable and added that foreign commanders arrive in Mogadishu almost everyday to engage in acts that undermine the teachings of the Islamic Shari'ah. Badbaado said the President of the TFG who has earlier on said he will rule the country according to the Islamic Shari'ah consents to the activities of these foreign commanders. Salah who is a former member of the Federal Somalia Parliament also spoke on last year's explosion attacks in Shamow hotel in Mogadishu and said investigations into the incident could not go past officials of the TFG. The former MP said they have questioned the TFG prime minister and Speaker of Parliament who have failed to provide them with adequate answers.
"We asked Adan Madobe why those responsible for the explosion attacks could not be ascertained and he said a committee has been sent and we do not know what their findings were. They just remained silent he said. This was an indication enough to us that the TFG officials were responsible for it," said Salah Badbaado who confirmed doubts by many who believe that the TFG was responsible for the explosion attacks that took place in Shamow hotel.
A committee appointed by the TFG to investigate the explosion attacks in Shamow hotel has went its separate ways. The names of the members in this committee have not been released to the media as the president just made a mere mention of their existence on the media. The statement by Salah Badbaado comes at a time when reports on presence of American organizations in Mogadishu have recently emerged. Some of the officials in these American organizations are said to have been accompanying Yusuf Siyad Muhammad Indhacade [Minister of State for Defence] when he was being targeted with explosion attacks earlier this month.
From January
Press TV: Blackwater/Xe mercs arrive in Somalia, Al-Shabab says
...
There are also allegations of US-sponsored bomb plots in the capital.
The bombings will be carried out in order to create a pretext to launch a campaign against Al-Shabab, a spokesman of the group, Sheikh Ali Mohammed Rage, told Reuters.
"We have discovered that US agencies are going to launch suicide bombings in public places in Mogadishu," he told reporters. "They have tried it in Algeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan… We warn of these disasters. They want to target Bakara Market and mosques, then use that to malign us."
At a meeting with tribal elders in Mogadishu on Monday, the Al-Shabab spokesman said that mercenaries of the Xe private security firm — formerly known as Blackwater — have arrived in the Somali capital, the Press TV correspondent in Mogadishu reported on Monday.
Blackwater/Xe mercenaries plan to carry out bombings in Mogadishu in order to accuse Al-Shabab of being the culprits in the attacks, the Al-Shabab spokesman added.
He went on to say that the Blackwater/Xe mercenaries have already recruited many lackeys to help them carry out bombings targeting prominent individuals and innocent civilians.
Earlier this week,
Garowe Online: Explosion rocks Mogadishu location under Al Shabaab control
At least six people, including three Al-Shabaab fighters have been killed in an explosion and targeted assassinations in the restive capital Mogadishu, officials and witnesses said on Monday.
The explosion rocked an intersection called Bar-Ubax located near Al-Shabaab-held Bakara Market, killing three people who are said to be the planting the landmines.
The explosions were powerful which was caused by two landmines. We don’t know the people behind it because the area is controlled by anti-government forces,” said a resident who requested not to be identified.
However, confidential reports claim that fighters from Hizbul Islam militant group, Al-Shabaab’s arch rivals were behind the explosions. Al-Shabaab officials say the explosions were targeted on the group’s top officials, who reside from the area.
“We will officially talk about the explosions once we finish the investigations. At the moment, we can’t blame anyone,” said an Al-Shabaab official who spoke with reporters..
Meanwhile, three Al-Shabaab fighters were also killed inside Bakara Market by unknown assassins. According to eyewitnesses, the bodies of the three with gunshot wounds on the heads were found abandoned in the area.
Shabelle Media: Hizbul Islam denies involving latest blasts in Bakara market
Hizbul Isman organization has Tuesday held press conference in Mogadishu and denied any involvement of the latest explosions happened in parts of Bakara, a stronghold of the Islamist forces in the capital.
Sheik Ali Mohamud Rage better known as (Dere), the spokesman of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen held press conference in Mogadishu yesterday and said that the blasts occurred at the areas under the control of Islamists were behind by people claiming Mujahideen (Islamist fighters) against TFG and AMIOSM in Mogadishu.
Sheik Mohamed Mo’alin Ali, the information secretary of Hizbul Islam said in the press conference which was held in the market that they were not behind or involved the blasts targeted to parts of Bakara market in Mogadishu.
...
“We were not involving any of the latest blasts. We had formed special searching committee for the blasts at 30-ka Street in Mogadishu,” said Sheik Mohamed Mo’allin.
The official had declined to explain reports saying that officials of Hizbul Islam organization had been killed in the latestexplosions occurred near Bakara market recently which Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen said that those who were carrying out the explosions had left their lives in it.
The latest explosions had affected the business centers in areas of Bakara, the biggest market in the Somali capital Mogadishu and the statement of the information secretary of Hizbul Islam organization comes as it is yet unclear the real ones behind the blasts in the capital.
Maybe add a dash of this into the mix
On January 20 ... H.I.’s head of information, Ma’alin Hashi, announced that Western spies had infiltrated H.I. and that troops controlled the by the United States Central Intelligence Agency and Federal Bureau of Investigation were “fighting alongside” H.I. forces [in Beledweyne].
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AFP: Rift emerges in Somali Sufi group
Senior leaders from Somalia's main Sufi group Ahlu Sunna wal Jamaa on Tuesday denounced a deal struck last week by some of its members with the government during a meeting in Addis Ababa.
The Ethiopian foreign ministry had issued a statement on Saturday announcing an agreement between the embattled internationally-backed transitional federal government and the Sufi group to combat the country's Islamist insurgency.
But some of the Sufi movement's top figures argued that those who reached the deal in Addis were not representative of the group and not authorised to set policy.
"The so-called agreement reached and discussions that took place in Addis Ababa were misleading and created a rift within Ahlu Sunna followers," Sheikh Omar Sheikh Mohamed Farah, a top Ahlu Sunna leader, told AFP in Mogadishu.
He argued that "the Addis deal does the Shebab and other anti-peace groups a favour by promoting some individuals over others and undermining a planned Ahlu Sunna general assembly to be held soon."
Abdulkadir Mohamed Somow, another leader, said that one faction with Ahlu Sunna had "hijacked the process" by dealing directly with the federal government in the organisation's name.
He suggested the government was deliberately trying to sow division.
"The Somali government should take Ahlu Sunna seriously and make no unilateral deal with some members who are not elected leaders, disregarding the vast majority," he said.
...
Sheikh Mohamed Deeq, a senior figure in Ahlu Sunna, said it was too early to discuss power-sharing and that all should unite in the effort to wrest control of the country back from hardliners.
"The Addis meeting has simply undermined the fight against extremism," he said. "We should not wrangle over power issues until after we liberate Somalis from the Shebab and Hezb al-Islam Al Qaeda agents."
"The Somali government should beware of self-appointed Ahlu Sunna representatives who risk shattering our unity," he said.
Shabelle Media: Islamist official denies power sharing between TFG and Ahlu Sunna clerics
Sheik Omar Sheik Mohamed Farah, the chairman of Ahlu Sunna Waljama’a clerics who is [in] Mogadishu has Wednesday denied they agreed [on a] power sharing deal with the transitional government of Somalia.
Sheik Omar ... said in an interview with Shabelle radio that there was no agreement for power sharing between the government and Ahlu Sunna Waljam’a clerics, but he said that both sides had agreed to collaborate and work together.
The official said that they would displayed all they had discussed with the government for the coming days disproving rumors [claiming] that Ahlu Sunna clerics got posts from the TFG reiterating that their goal was support the Somali government and honor the Islamic region.
Last week I linked to a document claiming to be the agreement reached in Addis Ababa on February 13, which, if authentic, does bind the TFG to the allocation of 39 positions to A.S.W.J.
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Shabelle Media: Fire exchange between soldiers injure about 10 civilians in Mogadishu
about 10 ten people were injured in Mogadishu after fire exchange between the transitional government soldiers started at Villa Baidoa, large base for the Somali government military troops in the capital, witnesses told Shabelle radio on Wednesday.
Reports say that the fighting started on midday as some of the government troops tried to rob students of the universities and high schools around KM5 zone which is very close to the military compound of the government which caused other troops to protect them [resulting] in fighting, wounding 7 civilians there in south of Mogadishu.
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Latest analysis from Michael Weinstein is up at Garowe Online spells out why that agreement is written in english
Ahlu Sunna Wal-Jama'a's Preliminary Agreement with the TFG
The deal between the T.F.G. and A.S.W.J., which was reached in Addis Ababa and was called "preliminary," was pressured and brokered by external actors - Ethiopia (playing the front role through its foreign minister, Seyoum Mesfin), the African Union (A.U.) and the United Nations Political Office for Somalia (U.N.P.O.S.).
According to Abdirazak Usman Hassan, the T.F.G.’s post and telecommunications minister and a member of the T.F.G.’s negotiating team, who was interviewed by Voice of America: “The United States of America is leading.”
I take it he hasn't seen the copy of the agreement which, again, if authentic, is interestingly dated February 13
Beyond the dissent in the delegations that has already been reported, the specific provisions of the agreement have not been announced publicly or have not yet been defined. Which ministerial posts will A.S.W.J. receive? Will A.S.W.J. be given the post of prime minister?
Weinstein also evidently does not follow Wardheer News, which is where Abdikarim H. Abdi Buh's articles premiere - outside of his Somalia Online blogspot.
Still, I highly recommend Weinstein's latest article in full - it's conclusions are likely spot on.
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Much of this has been covered here and at MoA over the last years, but here are some extracts from a recommended interview w/ Mohamed Hassan at Michel Collon's website on
Somalia: How Colonial Powers drove a Country into Chaos
Oil exploitation is not their priority. The United States know that the reserves are there but doesn’t need it immediately. Two elements are much more important in its strategy. First, prevent the competitors from negotiating with a rich and powerful Somali state. If you consider Sudan, the comparison is interesting. The oil that the American companies discovered there thirty years ago, Sudan is selling it today to China. The same thing could happen in Somalia. When he was president of the transition government, Abdullah Yusuf went to China although he was supported by the United States. US mass media had strongly criticized that visit. The fact is that United States have no guarantee on that point: if a Somali government is established tomorrow, whatever is its political color, it could probably adopt a strategy independent of United States and trade with China. Western imperialists do not want a strong and unified Somali state. The second goal pursued by this chaos theory is linked to the geographical location of Somalia, which is strategic for both European and American imperialists.
Why is it strategic?
The issue is the control of the Indian Ocean. Look at the map. As mentioned, western powers have an important share of the responsibility in the Somali piracy development. But instead of telling the truth and paying compensation for what they did, those powers criminalize the phenomena in order to justify their position in the region. Under the pretext of fighting the piracy, NATO is positioning its navy in the Indian Ocean.
What is the real goal?
To control the economic development of the emerging powers, mainly India and China. Half of the world’s container traffic and 70% of the total traffic of petroleum products passes through the Indian Ocean. From that strategic point of view, Somalia is a very important place: the country has the longest coast of Africa (3.300 km) and faces the Arabian Gulf and the Straight of Hormuz, two key points of the region economy. Moreover, if a pacific response is brought to the Somali problem, relations between African in one hand, and India and China on the other hand, could develop through the Indian Ocean. Those American competitors could then have influence in that African area. Mozambique, Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania, Zanzibar, South Africa etc. All those countries connected to the Indian Ocean could gain easy access to the Asian market and develop fruitful economic relationship. Nelson Mandela, when he was president of South Africa, had mentioned the need of an Indian Ocean revolution, with new economic relationships. The United States and Europe do not want this project. That is why they prefer to keep Somalia unstable.
...
..since the Restore Hope failure, United States has preferred to keep Somalia in chaos. However, in 2006, a spontaneous movement developed under the Islamic courts to fight against the local warlords and bring unity to the country. It was a kind of Intifada. In order to stop this movement from rebuilding Somalia, United States decided suddenly to support the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) after having refused to recognize it before. In fact, they realized that their project of a Somalia without effective state was no more possible: a movement – furthermore Islamic!- was about to lead to a national reconciliation. In order to sabotage the Somali unity, United States decided to support the TFG. But this later was lacking any social basis and an army. So the Ethiopian troops, commanded by Washington, attacked Mogadishu to overthrow the Islamic courts.
Did it work?
No, the Ethiopian army was defeated and had to leave Somalia. On their side, the Islamic courts were dispersed in several movements that still control a big part of the country today. As for Abdulla Yusuf’s transitional government, he collapsed and United States replaced it by Sheik Sharif, the former Islamic Court spokesman.
So Sheik Sharif has passed to “the other camp”?
He used to be the Islamic courts spokesman because he is a good orator. But he has no political knowledge. He has no idea what imperialism or nationalism are. That is why western powers took him back. He was the Islamic court’s weak link. Today he chairs a fake government, created in Djibouti. This government has no social base or authority in Somalia. It only exists on the international level because the imperialist forces support it.
In Afghanistan, the United States said they were ready to negotiate with Taliban. Why don’t they look for discussing with the Islamic groups in Somalia?
Because those groups want to take the foreign occupier over and to allow a national reconciliation for the Somali people. As a result, the United States wants to break those groups: a reconciliation, through the Islamic movement or through the TFG, is not in the interests of the imperialist forces. They just want chaos. The problem is that today, this chaos reached Ethiopia too, which is very weak since the 2007 aggression. A nationalist resistance movement came to the light over there to fight against the pro-imperialist government of Addis Ababa. With their chaos theory, United States had in fact created troubles in the whole region. And now, they took it out on Eritrea.
Why?
This little country leads an independent national policy. Eritrea also has a vision for the whole region: the Horn of Africa (Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia) do not need foreign powers’ interference; its wealth should allow it to establish new economical relationship on the basis of mutual respect. According to Eritrea, the region must get it together and its members must be able to discuss about their problems. Of course, this policy frightens United States that fears that other countries follow that example. So they accuse Eritrea of sending weapons to Somalia and instigating troubles in Ethiopia.
Isn’t Eritrea sending weapons in Somalia?
Not even a bullet! This is a pure propaganda as they did against Syria about the Iraqi resistance. Eritrea’s vision catches up with the project of Indian Ocean revolution that we spoke about before. The western powers do not want of that and wish to bring Eritrea back to the circle of the neocolonial states under control, such as Kenya, Ethiopia or Uganda.
Are there no terrorist in Somalia?
Imperialist powers have always labeled as terrorists the people who fight for their right. Irishmen were terrorists until they signed an agreement. Abbas was a terrorist. Now, he is a friend.
But we heard about Al Qaeda in Somalia?
Al Qaeda is everywhere, from Belgium to Australia! That invisible Al Qaeda is a logo designed to justify to the public opinion military operations. If United States say to their citizens and soldiers: “We are going to send our troops into the Indian Ocean in order to probably fight against China”, people would be afraid of course. But if you tell them that it is just about fighting piracy and Al Qaeda, it won’t be a problem. The real goal is however different. It consists in setting forces in the Indian Ocean region that will be the theater of major conflicts in the coming years.
Still not quite the 'thousand ship navy' Adm Mullen envisioned, but...
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SMC: Somali Premier updates American Ambassador in Nairobi
In a closed door meeting the Prime Minister of Somalia honorable Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke who is currently in tour of duty in the Kenyan capital Nairobi has late on Wednesday met with the American ambassador assigned for the Somali affairs whose base is in Nairobi.
The Prime Minister of Somalia briefed the American ambassador about the current situation in Somali, and how to bring the country under absolute control of the transitional federal government which has full support from the international community.
In the meeting the Prime Minister was flanked by some very important officials of the Somali transitional federal government who are among his delegation.
Doubt he was there to give Ranneberger any briefing on Somalia - since in Johnnie Carson's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last May he plainly stated, around 41 minutes into the hearing, in response to Russ Feingold's admonition that the USG was not doing enough to support the TFG
Mr. Chairman, I think those are all good suggestions and I certainly will pursue them. But let me also say that we are in contact with president Sheikh Sharif's government, have reassured him of our support, we have then underlined this to others. Our ambassador in Nairobi, Mike Ranneberger, has been in regular contact with Sheikh Sharif.
[Bonus quote from Carson's testimony in support of the TFG, at the 51:16 mark of the webcast]
uh, Sheikh Sharif was, uh, uh, elected as the president of, uh, Somaliland, uh, through the Djibouti process. Uh, we think that we was a compromise, uh, candidate, uh, who represented, uh, the views of the largest number of clan participants, uh, in that uh, in that uh, election. Uh, we think that he offers the, uh, best chance for, uh, possible reconciliation and peace in Somalia, uh, that we have seen over the, uh.. over the last decade. Uh, he is not, uh, a, uh, warlord. uh, he is not, uh, a milita man. Uh, he is, uh, from a rather humble background. Uh, an educator. Uh, and is a man who has sought, uh, to, uh, unite, uh, the various clans, uh, in Somalia in a more inclusive, uh, government. Uh, we believe that is important to do as much as we possibly can to support this T-F-G government, uh, as one of the, uh, last opportunities, uh, for, uh, bringing about, sta.. stability, uh, in that country.
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Garowe Online: New row emerges between top TFG officials
New row has emerged between Somali president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and parliament speaker Sheikh Aden Mohammed Nur Madobe over speaker’s tenure.
The two met on Thursday at Villa Somalia but failed to come to a census over the issue, a well informed lawmaker told Garowe Online on condition of anonymity.
The source further states that the speaker rebuffed president’s plans to replace him, a plan that is supported by many of Sheikh Sharif’s close associates.
The speaker is said to be adamant to bow to the pressure of stepping down, arguing that his mandate goes hand in hand with the formation of the transition government.
In retaliation, some lawmakers allied to the speaker have also put Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke on the spot over what they termed his failure to implement pledges he made when appointed to the post.
The internal wrangles have also spread to the military and police, whose commandants are said to have divided their loyalties across the two leaders.
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From a Press Release from EU NAVFOR Somalia - OPERATION ATALANTA Expands Its Mission On Piracy
On Wednesday 24 February, ministers of the defence of the European Union agreed that from the end of March they will expand the objectives of Operations Atalanta to include control of Somali ports where pirates are based, as well as ‘neutralising’ mother ships that allow the pirates to operate over 1,000km from the coast.
This expansion could mean an increase in the amount of resources for the operation and also an increase in cooperation and collaboration with NATO and others carrying out operations in this area.
At the press conference at the end of the first day of the Informal Meeting of Ministers, that took place in Mallorca, Spain’s Minister of Defence, Carme Chacón, said that several countries had already said that they are prepared to contribute sea and air resources to reinforce Operation Atalanta beyond 2010.
Rear Admiral Peter Hudson CBE, in command of Operation Atalanta said, “We are ready to assume these new tasks to improve the control and surveillance of the ports and to exercise the right to search at sea”
The ministers also agreed to improve the application of the agreements that exist with Kenya and the Seychelles for taking legal action against pirates that are detained and to increase efforts to achieve similar agreements with other countries in the region, such as Tanzania, Mauritius and South Africa.
The meeting also discussed the approval and the launch of an operation to train Somalian security forces, led by Spain, that would take place in Uganda and could be started as early as May.
In Issue 335 of their SMCM, Ecoterra International correctly note
Do the Spanish neo-Conquistadores and their European comrades in naval arms actually realize that they tackle here the rights of a sovereign state ? Neither the UN Security Council resolutions, which claim but can not proof that they are based on the consent or demand of the Somali government, nor the clandestine agreement the EU had signed with a meanwhile ousted lawmaker and countersigned by the French Ambassador to Kenya do hold any legal basis and therefore are nil and void, while the Somali Parliament has never agreed or consented to any of these agreements.
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The same SMCM also reports
According to a source at the US embassy in Nairobi, the American Ambassador to Kenya, Michael Ranneberger, is expected to leave his post in June.
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Garowe Online: Top Al Shabaab leaders in Kismayo meeting
nformed sources say more than 10 top officials including among others Sheikh Hassan Abdullahi Al-Turki, who recently joined ditched Hizbul Islam and Sheikh Mukhtar Robow Abu Mansur held town close door meetings, which the local media was barred from covering.
Sources, who requested not to be named, told Garowe Online that the officials were deliberating on how to counter possible government offensives on the group’s positions in the war-torn country.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Abu Mansur says his group is not planning to carry out attacks on its neighbor Kenya but requested Nairobi to stop military maneuvering along the border.
“We are not planning to wage war against Kenya, we are more focused on ensuring security in our areas. But if we come under attack, then we must defend ourselves,” he told crowd in Kismayo.
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Shabelle Media: Al-shabab formally suspends WFP’s operations in Somalia (press release)
Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen issued a press release on Sunday and formally suspended the operations of the World Food Program ( EFP) in southern Somalia.
The press release from the office of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen was titled as follows: “begin from today on 14/03/1431 Hijriya, WFP should stop its activities in Somalia”.
The statement also said that Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen knew more about the problems of the food supply asserting that they would never allow WFP to operate in the country.
The office for the aid agencies of Al-shabab known as (OSAFA) said that they reached the decision as they respected the following articles:
1) Constant complaints from the Somali farmers who suggested that they had problems about selling their food in the markets due to more food that the WFP brings when they get their crops.
2) An expired food supplying WFP for the people that Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen officials saw in the centers of the agency for sparing the food.
3) Diseases spreading that affected to the people which caused the expired food.
4) Knowing that the food supply of WFP was a hidden secret of policy supporting the foreign troops.
Lastly the press release of Harakat Al-shabab Mujahideen warned to the people involving the World Food Program (WFP) adding that anyone seen involving the operations would be seen as some one working the goals of the agency.
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Sunday Independent: Irish troops will train Somali soldiers
Irish troops are to help train Somali soldiers who are battling an extreme Islamic group allied to al-Qaeda in a civil war which has killed 20,000 people in the last two years.
...
The Government has given the go-ahead for the Defence Forces to send five Irish soldiers to serve with a proposed EU mission whose aim is to train Somali security forces. Exactly what training Irish soldiers will be doing will be clarified later this week.
But it is likely to range from training headquarters' staff to infantry soldiers, with Somali officers, NCOs and privates benefiting from the Army's experience.
The mission, led by Spain, will involve about 100 soldiers and will be based in Uganda.
...
The Irish last served in Somalia as part of UNOSOM II in May 1993. Their job was to ferry supplies for the UN brigade in the Baidoa region.
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Monocolumn: PR for peacekeepers in Somalia
What, you might wonder, would be at the top of the African Union Mission to Somalia’s (AMISOM) peacekeeping wish list? Helmets, check. Armoured personnel carriers. Roger. A peace process? Hmm. It’s complicated.
Meanwhile, how about half a million dollars-worth of services every month from a top-flight British PR agency? Thanks to the taxpayers of the UN member states, it’s theirs.
Since November 2009, heavy hitters Bell Pottinger have led a consortium on a year-long $7.3m (€5.3m) strategic communications contract to, among other things, open a radio station and supervise a major public information “hearts and minds” campaign to make the mission (AMISOM) more welcome in Somalia.
Simon Davies, overseer of the project on behalf of the UN’s support office for Somalia, envisions the radio station, above all else, as the foundation of “a public broadcast system [for Somalia] not dissimilar to [America’s] NPR”.
The UN’s idea of investing in this is that it will hugely improve communications around the country – a benefit to ordinary Somalis but also a major asset to AMISOM in improving its own security and operational effectiveness.
There are legitimate reasons to use a contractor for public diplomacy. In the four months since the contract was signed, a full complement of staff has been recruited from Kenya and inside Somalia and work is already under way in both places, says Bell Pottinger’s chief of staff in Nairobi, Stephen Harley. Shootings and kidnappings have made security rules so tight that UN staff can’t travel freely in most of Somalia, but contractors can make their own arrangements. The Bell Pottinger consortium’s international team has actually spent time in the country. The vast majority of UN international staff working on Somalia spend most, if not all, of their time sitting safely in Nairobi.
...
he UN member states paying for this contract are certainly beginning to wonder about their investment in AMISOM, supporting a government that is considered the last, best hope for Somalia. A review by the UN’s budgetary watchdog in late October 2009 – even before the consortium began its work – expressed concern about the “proliferation of structures for the support of AMISOM”.
Also disquieting is the apparent failure by AMISOM to really take advantage of the PR experts at its disposal; only one press conference has been held since November, the mission does not have a proper website and there has been no systematic output of credible information. So far, there is no sign of warming public opinion in Mogadishu towards the peacekeeping force.
Bell Pottinger’s best-known foray on African soil was in representing oil trader Trafigura, which paid out more than $150m (€110m) in compensation to Côte d’Ivoire last year following the dumping of a shipment of its waste in the West African country.
Defending AMISOM peacekeepers against charges of indiscriminately shelling civilians in Mogadishu may be their next task.
