Letter to the Chairman of the UN Security Council Committee on Somalia

On May 22, South African Ambassador Kumalo, Chairman of the UN Security Council Committee on Somalia, presented the latest Report of the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia to the UN Security Council. Subsequently, Ambassador Kumalo wrote to the Ethiopian Mission in New York regarding the presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia and recalling the embargo on delivery of arms and military equipment to Somalia. Ambassador Negash, Deputy Head of the Ethiopian Mission to the United Nations has now replied.  

“To Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo, Chairman of the Security Council Committee on Somalia.   

I have the honor to refer to your letter S/AC.29/2008/OC.28, dated 23 May 2008, regarding the presence of Ethiopian military in Somalia, and the apparent implication that this might be in breach of the UN Arms Embargo on the delivery of arms and military equipment to Somalia (UN Security Council Resolutions 733 (1992) and 1425 (2002)).  

I am at a loss to understand why Your Excellency should be raising this at this time as both the UN Security Council, and indeed your committee previously, has made it clear that Ethiopia’s presence in Somalia cannot be seen as a breach of the arms embargo. The issue of the single incident mentioned in the most recent Monitoring Group report (paragraphs 108-111), referring to a reported sale of weapons and ammunition, is something separate. It will, of course, be investigated should the Monitoring Group, or your Committee, be in a position, or be prepared, to provide the necessary evidence.  

Ethiopia is, of course, involved in Somalia at the invitation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia to assist the Government in defense of the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) from persistent attack by local and international extremist groups. Indeed, I believe Your Excellency was present in Djibouti when President Abdullahi Yusuf of Somalia addressed the Security Council Mission on June 2nd. I understand President Abdullahi specifically noted that the presence of Ethiopian troops in Somalia came under a bilateral agreement between Somalia and Ethiopia and with the approval of the Transitional Federal Parliament.  

Equally, I would in this context refer you to Security Council Resolutions 1725 (2006), 1744 (2007), 1772 (2007), and 1801 (2008) which authorized IGASOM and AMISOM activities in Somalia, and made clear Security Council support for the TFG and the TFIs. Resolution 1725 (2006) states the intention of the UN to “consider taking measures against those that seek to prevent or block a peaceful dialogue process, overthrow the Transitional Federal Institutions by force, or take action that further threatens regional stability”. Resolution 1725 (2006) renews the arms embargo but also authorizes the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and African Union (AU) states “to establish a protection and training mission in Somalia”, accepting that the arms embargo should not apply to supplies of weapons, military equipment, technical training and assistance for the support or use of that force. This force was also charged, inter alia, with the aims of maintaining and monitoring security in Baidoa, protecting the members of the TFIs and Government as well as their key infrastructure, and training the TFI’s security forces to help the re-establishment of the national security forces of Somalia. Ethiopia’s role in Somalia at the behest of the Somali Government, as you very well know, has been just that.  

Your Excellency would not, I am sure, wish to ignore the role of multi-lateral institutions in regional peace and security operations. The Security Council has consistently endorsed the idea that co-operation between the UN and regional organizations is appropriate for regional action as an integral part of collective security, and for the maintenance of peace and security. In this context, we note that the Security Council resolutions that have extended the action of the Monitoring Group, 1676 (2006), 1724 (2006), 1766 (2007), 1811(2008), consistently commend the efforts of the African Union and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development in support of the Transitional Federal Institutions in Somalia. The Security Council therefore welcomed plans to set up IGASOM and, subsequently, the creation of AMISON.   

For their part, the AU and IGAD have welcomed, and consistently commended, Ethiopian involvement in Somalia as part of this process. In its Declaration on Somalia at the AU Summit in January 2007, the AU noted “with satisfaction the recent positive developments in Somalia which have resulted from Ethiopia’s intervention upon the invitation of the legitimate Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, and which has created unprecedented opportunity for lasting peace in the country.” The Summit, which welcomed the decision of Ethiopia to withdraw its troops and the fact that it had already started to do so, also called for an immediate deployment of AMISOM in accordance with the decision of the AU’s Peace and Security Council, “in order to avoid a security vacuum following the withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from Somalia.”  A year later the AU Summit’s Declaration on Somalia was again commending Ethiopia for “its invaluable assistance to the TFG.” 

Subsequent Security Council resolutions authorizing the deployment and extension of AMISOM underline the importance of maintaining stability and security throughout Somalia and of avoiding the creation of any security vacuum. Resolution 1744 welcomes the decision of Ethiopia to start withdrawing its forces without any reference to violations of the arms embargo. We might recall in this context that Ethiopia has played a major role in implementing the calls of the Security Council in resolutions 1772 (2007) and 1801 (2008) “to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety and security of AMISOM and humanitarian personnel.” This, as you well know, has been one of the most significant activities of Ethiopian troops for well over a year.  

The regional body, IGAD, which unanimously authorized the deployment of an IGAD peace support mission at its 2005 summit, fully endorsed the revised IGASOM deployment plan in September 2006, and welcomed the AU decisions over AMISOM in January 2007.The January 2007 IGAD summit also recognized the “propitious conditions” created by Ethiopia’s intervention the previous month, and welcomed “this opportunity” to stabilize Somalia without creating a security vacuum. IGAD, like the AU, has consistently commended the role of Ethiopia in Somalia. 

Monitoring Group Reports have been extensively criticized by some of the parties identified in the Reports as being responsible for the most persistent major violations of the arms embargo and the major source of regional instability. It was unfortunate that your public presentation of this latest Report entirely ignored this and made no reference to the perpetrators of these violations, despite the fact that the Report provided impressive detail. It is a pity that an apparent, and misguided, attempt to appear balanced, possibly in an effort to propitiate such critics, should have led you into inaccurate comments. It is equally regrettable that you decided not to allow any benefit of the doubt to Ethiopia.  

We are disappointed to see that our relationship with a committee with which we had always believed we had civil and correct dealings in the past, despite a number of differences, now appears, under your chairmanship, to have degenerated into something adversarial. This is not of our making. We would be delighted to apologize if, as indeed we hope, we have misunderstood the tenor of Your Excellency’s remarks.  

Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.