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Is the TFG getting the necessary support?
Somalia is back in the limelight again, but the new-found media focus has only come after the recent hijacking by Somali pirates of the Maersk Alabama, a freighter operating under the United States flag. Piracy, of course, has been rampant for a long time. Ethiopia has, time and again, expressed its concern over the issue. Now with the shipping of western states coming more and more under threat, it’s no surprise that the international media are finally covering the problem extensively. More importantly, this renewed focus has rekindled interest in the internal security problems of Somalia which have been largely responsible for the escalating maritime piracy in the region. A number of international political figures have finally joined the debate on how to tackle the problem. More attention is at last being paid to causes in addition to the largely operational approach previously employed. If the flurry of press statements and briefings is any guide, the call for a more coordinated international support for the ongoing peace process in Somalia is gathering pace. A consensus that piracy cannot be effectively dealt with at sea alone finally seems to be emerging. US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates was recently quoted as saying “there is no purely military solution to the problem [and that] there's really no way in my view to control it unless you get something on land that begins to change the equation …" Senator Russ Feingold has weighed in on the subject of increased intervention by the international community. In an open letter to President Obama, he called piracy off the coast of Somalia “a symptom of the state collapse and instability on land”. He added that “the ultimate solution to the problem of piracy…is the establishment of a functional government that can enforce the rule of law.” He encouraged President Barack Obama to call the new president of Somalia “and indicate a clear commitment to work with his government not only on maritime insecurity issues, but also to help establish security and functional, inclusive governance within the country.” US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, announced last week that the US wanted an immediate meeting of the International Contact Group on Piracy to develop an expanded multinational response, and spoke of the need to track and freeze assets of pirates. She has tasked a diplomatic team to engage with the TFG and the Puntland leadership and directed the State Department to work with shippers and insurers to address gaps in self-defense measures. Secretary Clinton also said the US would be sending an envoy to the forthcoming Somali Donors’ meeting in Brussels .

This is all to the good. Assuming that words can be matched by action, there is a lot that can and should be done to stem the scourge of piracy. Equally, it is necessary to put things in perspective. No matter what the international community or the Somali International Contact Group does on piracy, the real problem remains on land, and here virtually no steps have yet been taken. The major issue now is the need to strengthen the position of the government, of the TFG. The TFG itself is under heavy pressure to broaden its support base. In fact, the demand is to bring on board everyone, including those who actually oppose the very existence of the TFG. This is one major problem currently facing the TFG. Unless the Government, as it is, is taken seriously by the opposition (and indeed by the international community), and unless confidence can be created within the country in the ability of the Government to provide security for the average Somali, the Government will not be able to ensure peace and stability. It will not be able to carry out the calls for national reconciliation despite the widespread support for this. As we have said before, the paramount issue in fact is the need to provide necessary resources for the TFG to operate successfully.

Internal clan dynamics and the role of extremists is one side of the equation. Another is the sustained effort of some external actors to derail the Somali peace process. It is an open secret that Eritrea arms and trains extremist and terrorist elements in Somalia and has consistently opposed all efforts towards a peaceful transition in Somalia over the last few years. It even recently declared official support for attacks on the Transitional Federal Government as well as on AMISOM peace-keeping forces. This underlines the fact that to make any progress towards peace in Somalia it is necessary to take action against those who have made it their business to try to scuttle Somalia ’s peace processes. Without strong action against spoilers such as Eritrea , no lasting solution to Somalia ’s problems can succeed. Interestingly, Congressman Donald Payne, a strong supporter of Eritrea , on a brief visit to Mogadishu this week, praised the new government for the progress it has shown. He said he was confident that the international community will now do more to see the government gets the resources it needs to stand on its feet and maintain a functioning authority. The Congressman seems unaware that such a position can only be realized if there is sufficient pressure on Eritrea to stop involvement with Somali opposition groups. An end to Eritrean support for the opponents of the TFG would actually be one of the best possible aids to the TFG.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, Somalia ’s President Sheikh Sharif was visiting Turkey and is going on to the Donors’ conference in Brussels , where he will be looking for real international support and assistance for his government. The Donors must provide for reasonably effective levels of support for the TFG, for its resources and for capacity building. His Prime Minister, Omar Ali Shermarke, and Sharif Hassan, the deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, were in Addis Ababa over the weekend, holding talks with high level Ethiopian officials. It was the Prime Minister’s first visit to Addis Ababa since he was appointed in February.