With humanitarian agencies warning of another hunger crisis in Somalia, questions are being raised about Britain’s relationship with the country’s president in the wake of a report by UN investigators alleging corruption and links with Islamic militants.
Caroline Lucas, the Green party’s MP, plans to table questions in parliament this month seeking information on Britain’s reaction to the corruption allegations and to a controversial oil deal.
"The UN monitoring group has raised some serious concerns about corruption in Somalia and about activities that may be undermining the arms embargo, which the UK has formally supported. My parliamentary questions are an attempt to get the facts into the public domain,” Lucas said.
"The allegations relating to the negotiation of oil company deals with the Somali government and exploitation of loopholes in an arms embargo are deeply worrying,” she added.
The UN monitoring group on Somalia and Eritrea, which monitors compliance with UN sanctions, submitted its report to the UN security council in October. It said army weapons and ammunition were still being diverted to open markets despite government pledges to act against this.
The report’s authors accused Musa Haji Mohamed Ganjab, a man they said was an adviser to the president, of being involved in arms deals with the Islamist insurgency group al-Shabaab.
Reuters reported that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had denied that Ganjab had ever been an adviser, and said nobody close to him had been involved in diverting government weapons. Ganjab, a Somali-Canadian businessman, also denied the allegations.
However, the allegations cast fresh doubt on Mohamud, a professor and activist who was sworn in as president in September 2012.
The report’s authors said: "Underlying corruption as a system of governance has not yet fundamentally changed and, in some cases, has arguably worsened. The monitoring group has consistently found patterns of misappropriation, with diversion rates of between 70 and 80%. The indications are that diverted funds are used for partisan agendas that constitute threats to peace and security.”
Foreign donors, led by Britain, have pledged large amounts of money to rebuild Somalia. The security council agreed to ease a decades-old arms embargo in March 2013, despite some members’ concerns.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office (FCO) said: "The security council has tightened the compliance requirements of the partial suspension of the arms embargo and we continue to press the federal government to improve its compliance with these and its own weapons management policy. We are also looking into how we can support the government in strengthening its compliance.
"The partial suspension is designed to allow the government to obtain the equipment needed to develop the national security forces, which are critical for Somalia’s long-term security.”
Potentially more damaging to the British government are allegations in the UN report that a London-based oil company, Soma Oil & Gas, signed a deal with the Somali government in August 2013 to conduct seismic surveys.
"The contract has never been made public, nor was it approved by the federal parliament of Somalia although it was ratified by the council of ministers,” the monitoring group said.
In return for gathering data, Soma Oil & Gas would receive the right to apply for up to 12 oil licences, covering a maximum of 60,000 square kilometres.
Soma Oil has told Reuters "the broad terms” of the deal were made public. The company said it had invested about $37m in a programme to gather and digitalise old seismic information and collect new offshore data.
Lucas said the monitoring group had called for a freeze on all new oil and gas deals until appropriate constitutional, legislative, fiscal and regulatory provisions had been agreed by the federal government and its regional authorities. "We need to know whether that’s a position that the UK government supports in practice, not just on paper,” she said.
Barnaby Pace, an oil campaigner for the watchdog Global Witness, said exploration could cause more conflict. He said the Soma deal was "opaque”, adding: "There are questions that need to be answered about this deal, including the role the British government has played. Without that transparency, concerns will linger over this deal and British policy on oil deals in Somalia.”
The FCO said Soma had received no preferential support, "nor did the British government lobby in support of a deal. We offer all companies seeking to work in Somalia a security briefing and political update, and this was provided to Soma.”
In her questions, Lucas asks the foreign secretary, Philip Hammond, "what communications there have been between UK ministers or officials and the Somali government and Somali officials regarding the Soma Oil & Gas deal”. In a question addressed to the international development secretary, Justine Greening, she asks if any steps will be taken to discourage new oil deals in Somalia.
The FCO spokesman said: "The UK supports responsible investment in Somalia and, in line with Somalia’s wishes, we are keen for the federal government to be able to use Somalia’s natural resources to generate much-needed revenue so that it can deliver services for its people.
"The UK is encouraging the Somali government and the emerging federal states to reach agreement on resource ownership and revenue-sharing – and to develop a legal framework that both supports that agreement and reflects best practice – before signing oil deals.”
Pace said the allegations made by the UN against the Somali government had to be taken into account by British policymakers. "There’s a vital need to be transparent about UK policy because the stakes for Somalis are very high,” he said.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation warned in October that a poor rainy season followed by severe floods in southern Somalia were threatening harvests, leaving more than a million people in urgent need of assistance – a rise of 20% in only six months. Another 2 million people are experiencing food insecurity.
There had been hopes that Mohamud’s government would be able to extend its control outside Mogadishu, helped by a military offensive by African Union peacekeepers. However, the administration seems to be hamstrung by internal divisions.
The Guardian has seen an email from Nicholas Kay, a British diplomat who is the UN special representative for Somalia, to the UK ambassador to Somalia, Neil Wigan, revealing that the prime minister, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, had requested a criminal investigation into an attack by militants on the president’s compound in February.
In the email, Kay says Abdiweli called him to request help with a high-level criminal investigation to see whether al-Shabaab had received "inside support” and also to look at the diversion of weapons.
Lucas addresses this in one of her parliamentary questions to Hammond, asking "what consideration his department has given to the proposal by the Somali prime minister for UK assistance into an investigation into al-Shabaab penetration into the Somali government”.
The office of the prime minister in Mogadishu declined to comment on the request for a criminal investigation. Lucas’s parliamentary questions await a response.
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/nov/18/uk-somalia-corruption-arms-deals
Waagacusub.net - Several members of Prime Minister Hassan Ali Kheyre's cabinet and senior government officials including close associates have been linked to money laundering, graft and corruption, according to sources. Some officials have allegedly been extorting businesses and NGO's, receiving illegal kickbacks, and steering inflated contracts to politicians, friends and family members as part of corrupt scheme. While other officials have misused development funds for regions, laundering millions of dollars to private bank accounts in Nairobi, Doha, London and Toronto. Full Article
Hamarweyne DC Arrested After Audio Criticising Corruption In Govt Goes Viral Full Article
Brussels Forum Does Not Concern Us, Somaliland President Says Full Article
Waagacusub.net -The new Somali government under the president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo is loosing credibility after high expectation that the new administration will be free from corruption or radical religious grouping that destroyed the furtive of Somalia. Full Article
Well Informed sources told Waagacusub media that the government of Kenya has given 2 million US dollars to the outgoing Somali Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke on Saturday to support his bid to vie for the presidency of his war torn nation of East African. Full Article
An investigative report by a Somali website accused a high ranking Ethiopian officer in Somalia of arm sales to rival factions and collecting bribes from Somali politicians who want come to power. Full Article
For Immediate Press Release Full Article
The United Nations, African Union, European Union, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, Ethiopia, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States are concerned about the unfolding dispute within the Galmudug regional assembly and between members of the assembly and President Abdikarim Guled. Full Article
The international community has warned Somalia's new parliament against corruption practices, emphasising the need for the embattled nation to "move forward" as new MPs are set to select the next President. Full Article
Mogadishu, 11 December 2016 – The United Nations, African Union, European Union, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, Ethiopia, Italy, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States are gravely concerned about the holding of a vote in the HirShabelle interim capital of Jowhar yesterday for a seat in the House of the People that was won by a disqualified candidate. Full Article
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe, previously allies in the nation's political landscape, now find themselves on the brink of war after a divisive National Consultative Council meeting revealed profound rifts, prompting both sides to mobilize for a possible showdown.
In July 2009, Mahad Ibrahim Hamarow kidnapped French officers Denis Allex and another officer who escaped from the Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu and then joined Al Shabaab. In the same year, he fled to Kenya, this was confirmed by Hizbul Islam Spokesman Mr Aydarus. - In 2010, Mahad Hamarow went to South Africa for migration, that's how we found out in the investigation, we were also told by Mohamed Isse and his brother Somaney who lives in Johannesburg South Africa.
President HSM's Proclamation to Defeat Al-Shabab by Force in Somalia To overcome the complex problems of civil war, state fragility, and underdevelopment, the Somali people supported risky political changes for a government that promotes freedom, justice, peace, and prosperity in Somalia. For example, the Islamic movements enjoyed popular support to end the brutal reigns of warlords and the military occupation of Ethiopia and establish new government.
Waagacusub.net -Auditor General Mohamed Ali alias Afgoi has exposed missing millions of dollars from key departments within the Federal Government of Somalia [FGS], in what could raise questions about government expenditures. In his report, Afgoi said 25 entities and three embassies have been audited. Unsupported expenditure amounts to $9M; contracts worth $31M not registered with auditor general's office, the existence of unauthorized bank accounts outside the Treasury Single Account.
Waagacusub.net - IBS Bank Somalia, which is believed to have the largest amount of money, Al-Qaeda Finance Secretary Fazul Abdallah from Comoros has started issuing Visa Card Payments for the first time. Al-Shabaab's finance secretary confirmed that Mohamed Ali Warsame had $ 157 million in cash, according to Khalif Ereg, who was later bribed with $ 2 million.
Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe, previously allies in the nation's political landscape, now find themselves on the brink of war after a divisive National Consultative Council meeting revealed profound rifts, prompting both sides to mobilize for a possible showdown. Full Article
In July 2009, Mahad Ibrahim Hamarow kidnapped French officers Denis Allex and another officer who escaped from the Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu and then joined Al Shabaab. In the same year, he fled to Kenya, this was confirmed by Hizbul Islam Spokesman Mr Aydarus. - In 2010, Mahad Hamarow went to South Africa for migration, that's how we found out in the investigation, we were also told by Mohamed Isse and his brother Somaney who lives in Johannesburg South Africa. Full Article
Galmudug State is not just the geographic heart of Somalia but the quintessential soul of the Somali nation. Within Galmudug, all the major Somali clan lineages- the Hawiye, Dir, Darood and Madhibaan are represented. No other Somali region or state is home to such diverse and influential clans with such extensive historical significance in Somalia as found in the Galmudug territory. Economically, Galmudug in 2024 is set to be the first location for the offshore oil and gas that the Somali Federal Government in partnership with the Houston-based American company, Coastline Exploration have commenced work on off the Hobyo coast since 2021. Full Article
Waagacusub.net - Somalia's President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday mourned the death of Namibia President Hage G. Geingob and sent condolences to the government of the African country. Full Article
Waagacusub.net - Somalia's former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo on Monday warned of the risk of political crisis over plans by the incumbent President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to overhaul the constitution. Full Article
Hormuud's Assault on African Peacekeepers Figure 14: African Peace Keepers Hormuud launched a scorching public campaign against the Kenyan military forces in AMISOM in late August 2019. Full Article
Former Intel official stripped from NISA membership Full Article
PM KHEYRE USELESS AND COSTY OVERSEAS TRIPS. Full Article
Abiy says 'New Year' will be celebrated in Eritrea, Ethiopian Airlines to resume flights Full Article
Massive rise in Islamist militant attacks in Africa Full Article
UK-Somali links raise concern as UN alleges corruption and arms deals
Questions raised about Britain's relationship with Somalia as UN alleges misappropriation of funds and exploitation of loopholes in an arms embargo