UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – The U.N. Security Council is considering lifting an arms embargo on Somalia’s government for one year so it can beef up its army to combat Islamist fighters, according to a draft resolution that is due to be voted on by the divided council on Wednesday.
The Somalia government has asked for the arms embargo to be lifted and the United States has been pushing the council to agree, but Britain and France have been wary of removing the ban in a country already awash with weapons, diplomats say.
The draft resolution, drawn up by Britain and obtained by Reuters, appears to propose a compromise: lifting the arms embargo for one year but keeping restrictions in place on heavy weapons such as surface to air missiles, howitzers and cannons.
The draft resolution says the arms embargo shall not apply to the deliveries of other “weapons or military equipment or the provision of advice, assistance or training, intended solely for the development of the security forces of the federal government of Somalia and to provide security for the Somali people.”
It says that these weapons and equipment “may not be resold to, transferred to, or made available for use by, any individual or entity not in the service of the security forces of the federal government of Somalia.”
The 15-member council imposed the arms embargo in 1992 to cut the flow of arms to feuding warlords, who a year earlier ousted dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and plunged Somalia into civil war. Somalia held its first national vote since 1991 last year to elect a president and prime minister.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon earlier this month suggested the Security Council consider lifting the arms embargo to help rebuild Somalia’s forces and consolidate military gains against al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militants.
But some council members are concerned about the security risks involved with removing the arms embargo and one council diplomats said the proposed move “sends shivers down the spine.”
MILITANT INFILTRATION
The Security Council’s Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, an independent panel that reports on compliance with U.N. sanctions, have warned that the Islamist militants in Somalia are receiving weapons from distribution networks linked to Yemen and Iran, diplomats have told Reuters.
A U.N. diplomat also said the U.N. monitors had reported that some al Shabaab militants had infiltrated units of the Somali security forces.
The council is scheduled to vote on the draft resolution on Wednesday before the mandate of the 17,600-strong AU peacekeeping force, known as AMISOM, expires on Thursday. The resolution would renew AU peacekeeping force for one year and reconfigure the U.N. mission in the Horn of Africa country.
AU troops from Uganda, Burundi, Kenya and Ethiopia are battling al Shabaab militants on several fronts in Somalia and have forced them to abandon significant territory in southern and central areas of the country.
The militants, who affiliated themselves with al Qaeda in February last year, launched their campaign against the government in early 2007, seeking to impose sharia, or strict Islamic law, on the entire country.
The Somali government believes lifting the embargo will help it strengthen its poorly equipped, ill-disciplined military – more a group of rival militias than a cohesive fighting force loyal to a single president.
The draft resolution requires that the Somalia government or the country delivering assistance notify the Security Council “at least five days in advance of any deliveries of weapons and military equipment … providing details of such deliveries and assistance and the specific place of delivery in Somalia.”
It also asks the government to report regularly on the structure of the security forces and the infrastructure and procedures in place to ensure safe storage, maintenance and distribution of military equipment.
The removal of the arms embargo would be reviewed in one year, according to the draft resolution.

Source: Reuters

1 COMMENT

  1. Has the arms embargo since 1992 been successful?

    Over a million dead.
    Millions more displaced.
    A society pulverized to its core.

    • But we Survived, didnt we?
      We are still a society,we are still a nation and we can recover our lost population and unite as one.
      I do not know of any nation that has suffered as long as we have.

      Viva Somalia

  2. This is irresponsible move. These arms will further escalate the hopeless situation in Somalia, it will cause more bloodshed, famine, refugees, warlordism and will increase sea piracy in the Somalia waters.

    This will annihilate large Somali population of Darood origins. Hassan Sheikh does not have the capability to bring about peace, but will soon resort to war and war only. The fake prime minister and Hassan Sheikh both made their intentions clear.

    the Fake Prime Minister will hit the Majeerteen and Ogadens first to retaliate for their deceiving and betrayal of Siad Barre.The first round of arms will be used in Kismayo and the IC will regret its actions after the first genocide is committed Kismayo area.

      • wallahi this has gone far enough,Somalia is back and there is now denyin it.
        yes their will be a few minor set backs but we are going to come out strong,we will rescue the Somalis From Silanyo,Faroole and Madobe.

        • Let the bark bro, after all that's all hey can do. They know their days are finished. They can't claim to have the support of Gadaburse, Ciise, Dhulbahante, Warsangeli, since they all spoke for the union. They are beyond finished.

    • I like the way yu put it out there, the fake Prime Minister, he is so fake. The man has no power or respect for himself. Hassan Dhuxul is the one travelling all over the world, making decissions in a day to day situations. This man is just a Minister for name. I think the worls is making a mistake by lifting this embargo, Once Shabaab leadership is gone, then the foot soldiers will go back to thier tribes. These Shabaab foot soldiers are mostly Habar Gidir, Ogaden, Xawaadle, Then the real tribal war will start.

      • "Dahir…..You said: ''Hassan Dhuxul is the one travelling all over the world, making decissions in a day to day situations''…………….You see, people like you have no clue of President duty and the Prime minister. For your information, the head of state is either the President or KIng / Queen. And since Somalia has not not KIng / Queen, the head of state is the President, therefore he is the one that does the bilateral agreement, not the Prime minister. Head of states, are the ones that travel to seek, create good relationship and new friends. Honestly, just go back to you little miserable life, since you have no clue what you are talking about. You know more about the system of tribe than the system Government. It is people like you (who have no clue of what they talk about), who destroyed Somalia, and should be kept away from that arena, for the sake of Somalia.

        • LOOOOL THE GUY HAS NO CLUE. HE SEEMS TO THINK THAT RUNNING A COUNTRY IS A TRAVEL CONTEST BETWEEN GOVERNMENT MEMBER KKKKKKK.
          BOY THE PRIME MINISTER IS HERE TO FULFILL THE PRESIDENT AGENDA FOR THE COUNTRY AND NOT TO BUILD HIS OWN LEGEND/IMAGE. SAID SHIRDOON IS A VERY SMART MAN THAT UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO SAFEGUARD HIS COUNTRY INTEREST ABOVE ALL.

      • RETARTED BOY THE PRIME MINISTER IS HERE TO FULFILL THE PRESIDENT AGENDA FOR THE COUNTRY AND NOT TO BUILD HIS OWN LEGEND/IMAGE. SAID SHIRDOON IS A VERY SMART MAN THAT UNDERSTAND THE NEED TO SAFEGUARD HIS COUNTRY INTEREST ABOVE ALL.

    • Looool Darood ? Boy stop talking about what you don't know. We not only support Hassan Sheikh as president but we want him to lead somalia for 20 years like Syad Barre and Meles did in east africa ine the past. Inchallah soon we will see all this good-to-nothing and traitor heading to mogadishu to get their piece of the pie. WE SEE MORE CHANGE IN SOMALIA IN 1 YEARS THAN IN PUNTLAND AND SOMALILAND IN 20 YEARS. Give the guy 15 years and Kenya and Ethopia will start to feel the heat.

  3. Well since Arms have been brought in through Ethiopia, Kenya and Yemen predominantly whether they lift it or not has little to no significant effect on the potential to acquire them as such this a means to legalize a trade that has been prevalent in the black markets.

    USA Arms companies will profit from Aid promises to Somalia by taking a slice of the funds in exchange for weapons and training contracts. $$$

    There are already Twice as many guns as there is a population. More weapons is non-somali initiative. Instead there should be a a process of a voluntary disarmament in exchange for skills or tools for the armed militia.

    Hassan Mahmoud's Damu Jadiid Government is corrupt and will readily prostitute their country to be exploited in exchange for hand outs.

    • LOL what was coming in was a few home made explosives mostly AK47s and a few RPG. Now its going to change and we will be seeing tanks roll in and other heavy ground equipment.

        • it depends on who call the shoot. WESTERN COUNTRIES WILL BE ABLE TO CHECK EVERYTIME THEY WANT THE ARMS OF THE COUNTRY. IF YOU WANT A CREDIBLE ARMY WITH SOME MODERN EQUIPMENT THEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE.

        • Somalis are sick of war and the only way a new clan war could start is if HSM resided with a particular clan.What people dont understand is who the arms is going to. Buxiye talks like HSM is going to arm all Civilians. It doesnt work like that. The only bloodshed will be that of alshabab and the pirates…….and hopefully separatists.LOL

  4. I suport the lifting of the arms embargo in Somalia. There's always large casualty among the Somali National Army whenever they confront al shabaab/al qaeda terrorists and its simply isn't fair on the somali troops who can't even get proper boots but had to walk on instead on sandals and to protect themselves with that useless Ak47 which is old and not in combat condition. Al shabaab/al qaeda terrorists have the same weapons as those from the Somali National Army and it has reached a stalemate, somalis civilians suffer as this stalemate drags on and those from the Amisom troops are bogged down in Somalia for making easy money.

    Somali National Army need proper camouflage uniforms, boots, combat helmet, ballistic vest, machine guns, tanks and warplanes to pacify Somalia and tell the Amisom, Ethiopian, Kenya to get the F**K OUT FROM SOMALIA!

    Viva SNA.

  5. No lifting embargo until we know who is Hassan Culuusoow and his intentions. because so far it looks bad the man who can’t evict looters other people's property and can’t render effected justices for a married woman who got gang raped in front of her husband and children and instead arrested and sentenced her 8 months in jail and also arrested the man who dare to reported can’t be trusted with weapons and you can fire your guns at me if you want to the period.

    • Sis, why would you insult the President like that, even if you have disagreement with him? Beside, it's not him that imprisoned the lady, but the court. And to create a no government influence judicial system, he didn't want to intervene. He even had couple days ago meeting with the judges, to inform them on the complains people had about the judicial system, and asked them to be very careful and not hasty with their verdict.

      Is it because of the Jubba thing that you dislike him for? Don't you know that the Prime minister and the whole cabinet is against those that are so called leading the Jubba conference? And it is unconstitutional what they are doing? Pleas go and read the constitution, if you think I'm talking BS.

      Sis, you not a bad person, bud pleas stop being misled, and threatened.

      • Continuing………How can those who are leading the conference refuse a invitation of the Government and start a process that the constitution prohibits them to lead. The people choice will be heard by their votes. What have they (Ahmed madoobe and those with him) got to fear, if the outcome of the Jubba formation will be determent by votes?

      • THruth10
        let me tell you something I sahra was cheering when this man was elected. where you and me will go our separate way is. when the capital looks like one clan place. the place I was born where my brother whose ten year older than me came from month ago where my uncle is in right now there where my neighbor call from last night his name zakaria mohamed abdalla and the conditions he was describing beyond awful and how disappointed he was. we can sugar coat all we want or we can discuss before we waste millions dollars of this poor population and life's. Furthermore what you always miss is if hamar isn't integrated no Somali city will be and it can't be call the capital of Somalia. That should tell you my intention,Therefore he's the one who's living effectively his own enclave but want to tell other they should not do it. I don't follow anybody blindly, another word I refused to be sheep. Because this country can't afford sheep its way too dangerous for all Somalis.

        • you are blaming President hassan for something other have done. After the war Mogadishu lost its cosmopolitanism its something normal because every clan leave its property to seek protection in their own territories ! The matter or the lost property is a tricky question and if you want my personal view it is something that will take 10-15 years to solve.
          Im not from the president clan but i can tell you one thing : Hassan sheikh is the most honest president we had so far. the guy has a genuine Will to fix this country and we should all prey thats he get elected again to finish his ambitious scheme for the country.

          • What so tricky about people who have their papers.Second ayanle did the man even talk about this issue or gave single speech about how he intended to approach and even ask the public patience. Specially a man whose head of state that has millions of his people in camps and majority are from the capital and the surrounding area. If that's not a pressing matter, What is?another thing if this nation president can't appointed independent review of the cases this so-called justices system rendered all ready and this is as good as it's going to get than what are you jumping up and down for it. Listen inaadeer you can have your dictator but please count me out.

    • Sahra.

      These light weapons xasan culusow will not control 100% guaranteed. the world knows somali situation very well.

  6. Thank God, we can now rebuild our armed forces and purchase state of the earth weaponry i.e Abram tanks, F-35 jets and most importantly acquire Drones so we can eliminate terrorists and separatists entities from Ras Kamboni to Zeylac. Lets see if the Ethiopian thugs holed up in Morgan's old house can stand up to the might of the Somali National Army & Air Force with the stolen AK-47s from 1990s. I would also like to congratulate our deputy PM & foreign minister Ms Fowsia for well done job, you did it madam.

    • What you just wrote is going deepen the divide we already have Mr sade. And what we want is this nation to stay together if it's possible but through convincing each other but not convolution not certainly by force. Because it wouldn't last very long, It's like marriage when one of the partner is not happy it will have ripple effect on the whole family included the children.So first the rest of us Somalis has to come together and work our differences and then we have to represent very compelling case and put in front of them why they should joint us, Which may not be enough, because I've seen plenty of indicators that tell me other wise. therefore if they choice to opt out than we have to explain to them other community of somalialanders has to be given the option either staying with them or going with us and that can only be done through talking after all the land isn't moving and what we're discussing is should we have one political platform or separate one and it's good to put perspective. what the whole deal is about. Last put not least what we're going to get if the embargo lifted is light armored vehicle, not the kind of weapon you mentioned and we're not ready for jets or drones or to assume that kind responsibility at this moment.So can you imagine if it gets in to the wrong hands, and the damage it could cause would look like. inshaallah one day we will but it will take little time getting there.

  7. We not only support Hassan Sheikh as president but we want him to lead somalia for 20 years like Syad Barre and Meles did in east africa ine the past. WE HAVE SEEN MORE CHANGE IN SOMALIA IN 1 YEARS THAN IN PUNTLAND AND SOMALILAND IN 20 YEARS. Give the guy 15 years and Kenya and Ethopia will start to feel the heat.

    • In fact there is same probablity Somaliland join Somalia again than Djibouti decided to join Somalia…That’s mean 0,000001%.lol No more BS somalinimo love. Original Somaliweyn including 5 Somali territories otherwise 3 Somali states and 2 Somali region. Zoomalia will never be in peace..

  8. FOR THE HATERS OUT THERE I HAVE ONLY ONE THING TO SAY : YOU HAD YOUR SHOOT AND YET YOU FAILED. HASSAN'S CREDIBILTY IS NOT QUESTIONNABLE ALL AROUND THE WORLD.
    TELL ME THE LAST YOU HAVE SEEN A SOMALI POLITICIAN SITTING NEXT TO OBAMA,CAMERON AND ALL THE OTHER LEADER OF THIS WORD.

  9. TO ALL CONCERN,

    Folks hold on your horses some of your are out of control here. here is the situation.

    US and EU totaly disagree how arm embargo should be lifted specially france and Uk want's more details.

    -Arm embargo will be lifted on strict condtion.(thanks to Uk and france)

    -One year arm embargo lift after one year review.

    -No heavy weapon supply such as ( tanks, heavy artillery or light, no air to surface missile ) all are light weapons.

    -Any countries supplying light weapons into somalia must give UN notice two weeks in advance.

    -All these light weapons will be kept in a safe place with the supervision of IC include AU.

    -When it comes distributing these light weapons and all uniforms boots etc, the goverment with IC will supply ALL arm forces that is PART of federal goverment in somalia.

    Those folks who think ship load of weapons will dock mogadishu port or anyother port in somalia they are in the middle of dream. supply will be limited and control by the IC.

  10. To Sade- xaarside.
    you are still daydreaming aren't you? the national army you are talking about are the old national army of yesterday. you have to add your calculation that the separatist were the back bone of that army. And ti was supported all somali people what ever region they come from. that golden era was distroyed by your moron greedy ignorant uncle of yours so get ready to go backto your dirty desert gedo..

  11. Wow is the united nations going wild? How on earth can they lift the arms embargo at this time? Their is no government acknowledged by the zoomalia populace.

    This zoomalia government wasn’t elected by the zoomalians as we all know. And most of the zoomalians consider it to be representing one clan only.

    Therefore is the united nations going to arm one tribe against the rest of the zoomalians? That’s how it looks unless the United nations security council is not out of it’s mind.

    There are much important issues at hand if the International community wants to bring peace to this forsaken country than rearming this war destroyed scoundrels and vagabonds who are only experienced to kill and loot.

    A good issues to look at is to reconcile all this primitive tribal people by arranging a reconciliation forum among all this zoomalian people.

    Secondly. equal power sharing between all the zoomalians from all walks of life i.e rotating presidency like the way Malaysians used to share power between its multi ethnic population. This might be a point which can bring them back together as each tribal will loot the resources of the country during their term in office. Just being a bit sarcastic here due to my knowledge on zoomalians greed.

    If the united nation is really interested in bringing peace to zoomalia they could first think of the above mentioned solutions rather than thinking of rearming a country which is barely alive. God help them

    Long life Somaliland and it’s people.

    For this new zoomalia’s so called president I see him to be a self professed individual who is no different from the previous ones who come before him. The only difference with him is he is just being used as a proxy by the ic and it seems he is enjoying it.

    If this new zoomalia’s president was sincere to his people he could first and foremost gotten all the zoomalians together and arrange for a reconciliation conference immediately like the south Africans did after the apartheid ended. But unfortunately his nuggests rant has been his six point agenda where he sings it like a parrot teaching kinder-gardenias the first baby songs.

    The united nations should re thing rearming this zoomalian government as this will not be in the interest of the poor zoomalian people and by the way the same weapons if the embargo is lifted will end up in the arms of the pirates and thus I don’t will be conducive to the interest of the world in general.

  12. The arms embargo in somalia failed 4 22 years n benifitted majeertenia state n majeerten consignees shipping to al shabab to destabilize south somalia.i support IC,UNSC,US N EU to support SOMALIA BID SOMALIS N NOT FAKE SOMALIS WILL APPRECIATE CAUSE GOOD GUYS ARENT GETTING WHILE BAD GUYS R GETTING WEAPONS .BY UPLIFTING WE WILL CUT OFF ILLEGAL WEAPONS SHIPPED TO BOSASO N MAJEERTENIA WILL LOOSE THEIR ILLEGAL TRADE.WE WILL BRING STABILITY N SENSE OF RULE OF LAWS.FIGHTING TERRORISTS.A POINT TO U FELLOW MJ SHIRDOON IS A GENUINE PRIME MINISTERS THE FAKES PMS SOMALIA REGRETTED TO HAVE WERE SHARMAKE,ABDIWELLI OF WHICH THEY TRIED TO AUCTION SOMALIA TO KENYA.SHAME ON THEM.FAROOLE OF MAJERTENIA IS DRUMMING 4 WAR BCOZ MAJERTEN DIDNT SUIT TO BE A PM THUS THE REASONS Y THEY CALL SHIRDOON ALL SOUGHTS OF BAD NAMES.

    • Why do you have to go all this terrible hiding your hand writing say what you want say. Everybody here is just expressing their opinion. And we hit each other occasionally , but nothing more nobody dies here.

  13. Dr.mohamed osmam cagabiyo ========= IM FULLY SUPPORT ,lifting an arms embargo on Somalia’s government , WISH THIS GOVERNMENT WILL RE ESTABILISH NEW EXIT FOR LAST LONG VIOLANCE