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US Contractors Plead for More Security Aid for Somalia / Israel strengthen its presence in the region / EU will start training Somali security forces in Uganda

15. February 2010

The U.S.-based Phoenix Intelligence Support firm, earlier characterized by Inner City Press as vultures, now pleads for more money, as it will be clear from an article in Voice of America from February 11:

“As residents of Somalia’s capital Mogadishu brace for an escalation of violence between government forces and Islamic militants, an official with a U.S. contractor providing security assistance is pleading for more international aid.

“While hundreds of fighters loyal to the Islamic militant group al-Shabab filed into Mogadishu, thousands of residents fled to overstretched camps on the outskirts of the capital, bracing for more violence.

“The Transitional Federal Government, which controls only small parts of Mogadishu, recently renewed promises to launch an all-out offensive against the insurgents. They control vast areas of the south as well as other strategic areas.

“Mohamed Zayed is the special regional advisor for the U.S.-based Phoenix Intelligence Support firm. The company, made up of security and intelligence experts, has been awarded several contracts in Somalia to develop counter-insurgency forces as well as build a coast guard to fight rampant piracy.

“Zayed says very little of the $250 million pledged in security aid by international donors for Somalia last year has actually been allocated for such capacity building efforts.

“The moneys are critical for capacity building, meaning the building of the Somali defense forces, police forces, intelligence, and counter-terrorism units in order to actually be an effective government, to actually fulfill their mandate to bring peace and stability to Somalia,” said Mohamed Zayed. [This] can only be accomplished with capacity building efforts that are real and effective and they almost totally depend on revenue at this point from the international community to do that.”

“He says money has mostly been spent on African Union mission troops present in Somalia, whom he says can basically only keep key members of government alive.”

Israel strengthen its presence in the region around Somalia

In an article with the title, Kenya Wants Israel’s Help Against Jihadists, the official Israeli news service, Arutz Sheva, among others wrote February 11:

“The Minister for Public Security, Yitzchak Aharonovich, met his Kenyan counterpart Prof. George Saitoti in Jerusalem Thursday, and the two discussed their countries’ security and criminal problems.

“Minister Saitoti told Aharonovich that Kenya is under threat from extremist Muslims. “The jihad is taking over Somalia and threatening to take over Kenya and all of Africa,” he said. “No one is more experienced than you in fighting internal terror. I request that you help us in this matter. In knowledge, in training.”

“Aharonovich told Saitoti about the influx of unwanted immigrants from Africa, and said that the Israeli government will vote Sunday on the construction of a fence on the southern border. “We realize that this is not an ideal solution but we have to do something about the matter. You know this from the Somali border,” he told his guest.

“The Kenyan minister replied: “I promise that we will help you as regards the infiltrators. We have a lot of knowledge and we are successful in dealing with the phenomenon relatively well on the Somali border.”

Israel says ready to recognize Somaliland

Under this e headline, Shabelle wrote om wrote February 11:

“The government of Israel is ready to restore the de jure recognition it has offered to Somaliland in 1960 as it eyes the Red Sea and the Horn, an Israeli spokesman says.

“The government of Israel is ready to restore the de jure recognition it has offered to Somaliland in 1960 as it eyes the Red Sea and the Horn, an Israeli spokesman says. According to a local source, Golisnews, Mr. Yigal Palmor, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman is quoted on the Israeli newspaper of Haaretz Daily saying his government was ready to recognize Somaliland again. He cited Israel was the first state to recognize Somaliland in 1960 when it received its independence from Great Britain.

“However, Mr. Palmor admitted Somaliland government has not contacted the Israeli government to seek ties. When asked a question regarding Somalia, Mr. Palmor answered: “Somalia looks like the Afghanistan of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, historically speaking we know the Somali people have different believes and politics. The Somali people have different political values of which they unified in 1960 that led to the whole misunderstanding and ultimately the collapse of Somalia,” he told Haaretz Daily. While answering to a question regarding Somaliland-Israel ties, he said: “Israel was the first nation to recognize Somaliland and indeed was the first country the State of Israel has recognized, after it received it’s Independence from Great Britain. When it unified with Southern Somalia, again we were the first to recognize it. We always wanted a relationship with a Muslim country in East Africa and which we can share the Red sea with.” Mr. Palmor said his country was ready to restore Somaliland’s old status however currently the two states have no bilateral ties.

He added Israel has ties with number of East African countries including Tanzania, Uganda and even Djibouti. Many analysts believe Israel has growing national interest in the Red Sea region, a key shipping route. According to well-informed regional sources Israel believes the region is also a key route for arms from Iran for Hezbollah, Sudanese regime and number of other groups in Palestine. The Red Sea gives Israeli ships access to the Arabia Sea and are within cruise-missile range of Iran. Israel also concern about Arab nations such as Egypt blocking it’s commercial shipping lines. There are unconfirmed reports also suggesting Israel wants to deploy submarines in the Somaliland port of Berbera and possibly establish a military outpost. Many Arab states have in the past expressed concerns about the proposed Israeli-base in the Horn of Africa seeing it as Israel surrounding them.”

The growing penetration in East Africa from the Israelis is probably recommended by its ally in Washington. But it is a provocation towards the Muslim Somalis who on October 30 arranged the biggest and common demonstrations in Somalia since long in protests against the attacks by the Israeli police forces against the Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem. Read: Large demonstrations against Israel and in favour of the Palestinian people seem to unit Somalis

EU to start training of 2,000 Somali troops in Uganda in May

Under this headline the Chinese news agency, Xinhua, on February 13 among others wrote:

“The European Union (EU) will start the training of 2,000 Somali troops in Uganda in May, a senior French army official said here on Friday.

“Brigadier General Thierry Caspar-Fille-Lambie, the commanding officer of the French Forces based in Djibouti said the Somali troops will be trained with the necessary military skills to help pacify and stabilize the volatile country.

“The Somali troops will be trained for six months in Bihanga in western Uganda.

“As France was one of the countries stressing the need for the involvement of EU in training Somalia forces, around 30 French trainers shall be part of that mission,” said Lambie at the closing ceremony of four-week French operational training of 1,700Ugandan troops to be deployed in the lawless country in May for peacekeeping mission.

“During the course, a 1,700-men battalion of Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) to be deployed in Somalia underwent training in peacekeeping operations while 120 non-commissioned officers trained in commanding the force.

“The EU troops shall work in close collaboration with UPDF to train the Somali troops,” said Rene Forceville, the French Ambassador to Uganda.

“Lt. Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, the commander of Uganda Land Forces said the best way to help pacify the Horn of Africa country is by training and equipping their troops.

“We together with EU troops shall train them with the necessary skills to manage their own security,” said Wamala.

“The EU earlier this month agreed to set up a military mission in Uganda aimed at training up to 2,000 Somali troops, which will complement other training missions and bring the total number of better- trained Somali soldiers to 6,000.

“The mission led by Spain will closely coordinate with the African Union, the U.S. and the United Nations as well as with Somalia’s transitional government.”

But alas for the European tax payers there is a big risk that the money used on the project will be wasted as it is the fact with millions of Euro given out to press an unpopular warlords government down over the heads of the Somalis. Today this government only controls a few streets in Mogadishu and nothing point in the direction that it can be saved.

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