By AGGREY MUTAMBO

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Somalia may have to wait longer to have the nearly three decade-old arms embargo lifted and have the country improve its weaponry after US government proposed for a delay.

Jonathan Cohen, the acting US ambassador to the UN on Wednesday told the UN Security Council that the conditions that influenced the embargo were yet to be changed, warning the country could plunge deeper into chaos.

“We have encouraged Somalia to engage productively with the Panel of Experts, and will continue to do so,” Cohen told the Council during a session on the UN Assistance Mission to Somalia (UNSOM).

The diplomat argued Mogadishu will have to work harder on sealing arms use loopholes, the reasons the embargo was still in place.

“Somalia appears to believe that the Security Council will eventually lift the sanctions despite a lack of engagement with the panel.

“The United States will not support this view which does nothing to address the problems the sanction regime was designed to address and indeed undermines the actions of the Security Council,” said Mr Cohen.

Amendments

Imposed in 1992 after the toppling of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre, the restraint has subsequently been amended to allow use of non-lethal weapons and equipment in humanitarian missions.

The resolution, however, requires that Mogadishu notifies the UN Sanctions Committee for approval at least five days before delivery.

Despite Somali government calling for end of the arms embargo to defeat Al-Shabaab, the Council last November voted to extend the restraint by a year.

The decision could hurt the nascent Somali National Army (SNA) which has been battling al-Shabaab with the support of the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom).
The embargo does provide for the Amisom forces to import weapons for their use and training the SNA.

The SNA itself is barred from purchasing or importing for use sophisticated weapons lingering the fight against al-Shabaab.

Mr Cohen added that transfer of operations from Amisom to SNA is “top priority” even though sanctions themselves will depend on Somalia’s path to transition.
“We urge the FGS (federal government of Somalia) to continue the efforts to generate and deploy security forces that will allow for a timely and orderly implementation of the transition plan.

“We underscore the need for all parties to coordinate closely to avoid security coverage gaps that could be exploited by malign actors.”

Under the transition plan, Amisom are supposed to gradually phase out from next year as Somalia is charged with building security forces, passes a new constitution and holds universal suffrage elections by 2021.