On Wednesday (November 7th) the United Nations Security reauthorized the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for another four months, until March 7th, 2013. It also decided to expand the United Nations support package for the Mission. The Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2073 (2012), authorizing AMISOM to maintain its presence in the areas set out in its strategic concept of January to counter the threat still posed by Al-Shabaab and other armed opposition groups, in order to establish secure conditions for legitimate governance, reconciliation and the provision of
humanitarian assistance in Somalia.

The meeting came a week after the Council had met under “unusual circumstances” in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy when the Council had authorized a short-term, seven day, extension of AMISOM, prior to this week’s meeting.

With resolution 2073, the Council also added fifty civilian personnel to the logistical support package for AMISOM, “on an exceptional basis and owing to the unique character of the mission”. It underlined the importance of swiftly deploying them into areas recently liberated from Al-Shabaab following a request from the African Union. The Council also requested the Secretary-General to continue to provide support to a total of 17,731 uniformed personnel until the end of the authorization period, and to provide advice to the African Union on implementation of the Mission’s strategic concept. In his most recent report on AMISOM, the Secretary-General had recommended a four-month continuation of the current support package in anticipation of the results of a thorough assessment of the Mission to be conducted by the African Union working together with the United Nations.

After the vote, the Permanent Representative of United Kingdom which sponsored the resolution, commended AMISOM and its troop contributing countries for their role in helping to “free Somalis from the dark shadow of Al-Shabaab,” and restoring faith in governmental structures. He said the Security Council must re-examine some of its positions, including those on the arms embargo and the charcoal embargo in Kismayo, in consultation with the Somali Government and other partners, to give the Government the space to make progress on key priorities. The forthcoming review of AMISOM would allow the Council to set clear divisions of responsibility and adjust support for the Mission.

Some of the other members of the Council while commending AMISOM and its troop contributing countries, regretted that a more sustained extension of the support package had not been included in the text or that the resolution did not include support for a maritime component for AMISOM as requested by the African Union. This they thought was important for countering Al-Shabaab and piracy off the coast. South Africa’s Representative, in addition, regretted that the lifting of the arms embargo was not addressed as this affected Somali national security forces.

The representative of Somalia gave the Council details of the country’s progress in governance in recent months, including the appointment of an inclusive cabinet which included a woman as Foreign Minister. All this had, he said, been achieved with the unfailing support of AMISOM and the Ethiopian forces, supported by the Security Council and the international community. He welcomed the
strengthening of AMISOM and additional support but, he added, he had hoped the authorization and support would have been approved for one year, to better support the Government’s efforts.

Security Council members in fact failed to agree on several issues in addition to the issue of support for maritime operations. These included the question of Somalia’s request for a partial lifting of the arms embargo in order to obtain arms for its security forces, and whether or not sales of the massive stocks of charcoal stockpiled in Kismayo should now be allowed. The future of this charcoal is now a matter of discussion between political and business leaders in Kismayo and the government in Mogadishu.

Meanwhile, on Sunday (November 4th) Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon named his choice of cabinet ministers. These included the appointment of Fowsiyo Sheikh Adan (Dir/Issaq) as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. This is the first time a woman has been appointed foreign affairs minister in Somalia. Another woman, Maryam Qassim (Minority/Barwani) has been appointed as Minister of Social Services Development. The ten member cabinet, which has yet to be approved by the Parliament, is the smallest in Somali history, and President Hassan Sh. Mohamoud said that many clans might not see themselves represented but no one should be offended by this. In fact the four main clan groups each have two representatives as do the small minority clans.

The other appointments are: Abdullahi Abyan Nur (Dir/Bimaal), Minister of Justice, Endowments and Religious Affairs; Abdihakim Haji Mohamud Fiqi (Rahenweyne/ Dabare), Minister of Defence; Abdikarim Hussein Guled (Hawiye/Habr Gidir), Minister of Interior and National Security; Mahamud Hassan Saleebaan (Darod/Majerteen), Minister of Finance and Planning; Abdullahi Ilmooge Hirsi (Darod/Ogaden), Minister of Information and Telecommunication; Abdirasaq Omar Mohamed
(Hawiye/Hawadle), Minister of Natural Resources; Muhiyadin Mohamed Kalmoy (Minority/Jareer), Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction; Mohamud Ahmed Hassan (Rahenweyne/Hadame), Ministry of trade and Industry.
**************
* Originally published on A Week in the Horn – Nov. 9, 2012 issue, titled “The UN Security Council authorizes AMISOM for another four months”. Items from A Week in the Horn are re-published here with a permission to do so.

Check the drop down menu for posts on related topics.