Facilitating the Provision of Humanitarian Aid in Somalia

Transcription

1 Facilitating the Provision of Humanitarian Aid in Somalia Forum: Advisory Panel Student Officer: Wendy Cho, President Introduction Somalia had been experiencing humanitarian crisis since 1991, and the crisis is one of the most multifaceted and long-lasting emergencies. Although a few large-scale famines have been prevented in the past, the humanitarian impact of the drought has been overwhelming. Half of the population, which is more than 6.2 million, are in need of humanitarian support and assistance. The continuing conflict constantly reduce the stability of communities, cause displacement and disregard not only civilians access to basic needs but also humanitarians access to those in need. Moreover, beside natural disasters, exclusion and discrimination of groups that are in socially low position are contributing to humanitarian crisis, leading to lack of protection. Furthermore, disease outbreaks such as acute watery diarrhea (AWD) and measles cause deaths, despite the fact that they are preventable. In 2017, Somalia has experienced the country s one of the most severe drought, which led to a critical famine in the worst affected area. The drought coincided with terrorism led by Islamist group Al-Shabab, banning humanitarian assistance, and it caused Somalia to be left in deteriorating circumstances. Incidents caused by violence, endless food shortages, and the spread of drought-associated diseases negatively A man serves lentils to a young girl during the 2017 drought in Somalia. influenced the country, causing many people to be internally displaced. The humanitarian crisis is also closely related to terrorism as aid workers have been highly targeted by terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab. Moreover, many of the aid workers are the victims of abductions by armed militants. Although there were modest improvements in recent years, malnutrition rates in Somalia are still one of the highest in the world. Unfortunately, the circumstances are deteriorating as the ongoing insecurity in Somalia cause even more complex emergency. Areas that do not have established local authorities are often targeted by al-shabaab, and those areas are therefore particularly more vulnerable to these risks. Sustainable assistance, which is life-saving and can be coupled with interventions aimed to build resilience, is importance in helping effected households to gain basic needs, escape malnutrition, and protect livelihoods. Background Since the 1991, Somalia had to suffer through Somali Civil War, which was followed by the overthrow of the dictator, Siad Barre. The downfall of government led to ongoing fights and civil war, resulting in the advent of numerous foreign aid including the UN peacekeeping mission. Although Somalia declared unilateral independence in 1991, it did not attract international

2 recognition, and the country descended into anarchy as clan-based warlords competed each other while no one controlled the nation as a whole. Due to the absence of a government, Somalia was exposed to risks, ranging from terrorism to economic crisis, and therefore a large-scale humanitarian crisis developed. The feudal fights and civil disharmony that resulted from the failure of Barre s government led to a serious humanitarian crisis in Somalia, motivating action from the international public. In 1992, the US military began to help Somalia. Since the warlords were corrupted, the Operation Restore Hope had to protect food packages from warlords. However, the following year, Somali rebels shot down two US helicopters, which led to a battle that killed hundreds of citizens in Somalia. The incident made the international forces even harder to help those in need in Somalia. Unfortunately, in 2001, the UN announced the withdrawal of all international staff from Somalia, claiming that the staff are no longer able to guarantee their safety. On October 2004, the transitional government was established in Kenya, with Abdullahi Yusuf elected as the president. This establishment was the 14th attempt to reinstate central government since Yusuf asked on the international community to stand by us and help us disarm our militias. Even after the transitional government returned from Kenya to Somalia for the country s stability, divisions still existed. Rebels began to capture food deliveries off the coast, which led to the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia addresses transitional government in Kenya. postponement of some aid program. Moreover, rival factions battled for control of Baidoa in south-west Somalia, where Yusuf planned to establish a temporary capital. Gunmen attempted to assassinate interim prime minister, attacking his convoy in Mogadishu. Around 2006, Mogadishu experienced the worst violence in more than a decade as fierce fighting broke out between rival militias. As these conflicts were happening, the terrorists attempted to attack the country, targeting the vulnerability. The conflicts eventually led to humanitarian crisis, which is still an unsolvable issue in modern days. Despite endless foreign aid provided by the US, United Nations, and organizations, Somalia has continuously suffered from humanitarian crisis. Since the humanitarian crisis is strongly tied with terrorism, natural disaster, and political conflicts, the key to solving the issue would have to deal with diverse aspects of it.

3 International Actions Since UNOSOM I was the first assignment to provide humanitarian relief, the Somalis could welcome them. United Nations Security Council Resolution 733 and Resolution 746 requested the creation of United Nations Operation in Somalia I (UNOSOM I). After the termination of the traditional government, UNOSOM I was the first assignment to provide humanitarian relief and help reestablish direction in Somalia. UN Security Council Resolution 794 was passed on December 1992 without any objections, which proved a partnership of United Nations peacekeepers led by the United States. UN Security Council further formed United Nation s Task Force (UNITAF), which is tasked with confirming humanitarian aid to be dispersed and peace being established in Somalia. However, approximately 300,000 citizens died due to starvation during the first year of the civil war. In 1993, the UN humanitarian troops arrived and started a two-year plan to improve conditions in Somalia. U.S. President George H. W. Bush had unwillingly agreed to send U.S. troops to Somalia, intending the plan to be a short-term humanitarian mission. The US were to "end the starvation and leave." However, Bill Clinton, was convinced by the UN Secretary- General to extend the mission in order to help establish civil governance in Somalia. U.S. troops remained as the "backbone of the UN mission." Since the circumstances in Somalia were too dangerous, the UN decided to set up an office in Kenya, which is near Somalia, in order to monitor the situation in Somalia. However, Somali distrusted the U.S. and other non-african intervention, and therefore they began to find the Africans who can take a lead in the process of assistance. The idea of delegating more responsibility to the African Union was not only supported by the outside forces but also the Somali. With the UN s encouragement and advise, Djibouti s President, Ismail Omar Guellah proposed a peace plain in However, eventually the main responsibility has been delegated to the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, which has been described as incompetent and divided. After the responsibility was ceded, the Somali again faced problems in trusting international assistance. In 2000, Inter-Governmental Authority on Development met with Somali intellectuals, and the intellectuals advised in their private capacities regarding the peace plan and initiated to create Transitional Government later. However, the transitional government, which attempted to include all parties, could not establish effective domination over the country, and unilaterally declared states have continued to assert autonomy, dividing Somalia. Problems Raised The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported 975,000 displacements in Somalia. Among the 975,000, 82 percent, or 804,000 displacements, are related to drought and its effects, and the rest of the displacements are resulted from the struggles and insecurities intimidating the country.

4 Somali women and children in desperate need of aid from organizations According to the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU), approximate number of people in need of humanitarian aid in Somalia has decreased from 6.7 million people to 6.2 million, which shows that the situation is improving. However, localized famine, daily violent attacks, and the ongoing ban set in place by Al-Shabaab, which if broken leads to brutal punishments, make it hard for aid workers to provide assistance to people still in need. Aid workers have been highly targeted by Al-Shabaab and many of them are victims of abductions by armed militants. Al-Shabaab imposed the ban on humanitarian aid in Somalia in July The ban mostly covers areas under his control and has forced hundreds of thousands of people to choose between death from starvation or violent punishment. Communities were told by the militant group that they would experience extreme punishment if they called or had any contact with humanitarian agencies. Even though aid officials and international human rights organizations have provided humanitarian aid to Somalia and saved many lives, conditions within the country are still deteriorating, with almost half of the population facing starvation if no help is received in the coming months. The situation in Somalia is further deteriorated by political turmoil, such as absence of government. Stable government is one of the most important factors required when a country is suffering from disasters. However, the absence of government in Somalia only deteriorates the circumstances in Somalia. Although outside forces such as UN attempted to create a transitional government that can replace the role of ordinary government, the transitional government resulted in a failure. Therefore, establishing a stable government will be a key to solving these issues in Somalia. Stance of P5 Nations United States The United States is the leading donor of humanitarian assistance to Somalia, with more than $156 million USD provided over FY , and $74 million to date in FY The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department of State have quickly mobilized financial resources to respond to humanitarian challenges. USAID s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance responded to the attack by providing $100,000 to a partner organization so that emergency medical supplies could be delivered to the 300 victims of the attack. Moreover, U.S. President George H. W. Bush had unwillingly agreed to send U.S. troops to Somalia, intending the plan to be a short-term humanitarian mission. The US were to "end the starvation and leave." However, Bill Clinton, was convinced by the UN Secretary-General to extend the mission in order to help establish civil governance in Somalia. U.S. troops remained as the "backbone of the UN mission." The US played a significant role in supporting Somalia and therefore are deeply related to all the tragedies happening in Somalia.

5 China Through UNICEF, we hope to reach the affected populations, especially those in remote places, with lifesaving services, said the Chinese Ambassador to Somalia, Qin Jian. We are committed to supporting the humanitarian response led by the Somali Government and pleased to be working with UNICEF to ensure the needs of the most vulnerable group children and women are met. Together, we can to help the Somali people go through this difficult time. As the devastating drought in Somalia shows no sign of ending, the Government of the People s Republic of China contributed US$2 million to help UNICEF reach 15,000 young children who are suffering from severe acute malnutrition, in Somalia. Russia In response to an urgent request from the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, the Government of the Russian Federation took decision to send Russian humanitarian medical aid to the population of Somalia. In 2010, over the last few days, 26 tons of Russian medical equipment, medicines, and first aid kits were delivered to the Somali capital Mogadishu. Their distribution has begun. Moreover, Russia is calling on the international community to undertake measures to strengthen Somalia s army and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). United Kingdom The United Kingdom is also continuously helping Somalia through donation. In 2011, British aid agencies decided to help some of the 10 million people at risk of starvation in East Africa. The DEC, a group of the UK's leading aid agencies, launched the fund-raising appeal with a series of TV and radio broadcasts on Friday. By Monday it had raised 9m. Moreover, in 2017, the United Kingdom has announced an additional aid package of 60 million British pounds (about $77 million) to Somalia to help tackle the humanitarian crisis caused by the prolonged drought. France France s action and support in Somalia is mainly channeled through the United Nations and the European Union. Since 2007, the EU has spent more than 1.6 billion via the African Peace Facility (APF) to fund the AMISOM. AMISOM has been present in the country since 2007 with UN Security Council authorization. Its aims include combating Al Shabab, and it currently has some 20,500 soldiers including contingents from Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, Uganda and Burundi. AMISOM also includes a police component, with 1,000 service members from Uganda, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya, Ghana and Zambia. Possible Solutions Acute needs of crisis affected communities and lack of access to basic services More than 3.1 million Somalis are in acute need of humanitarian assistance for survival (IPC Phases 3 and 4). This includes 87,250 children (point prevalence) suffering from severe acute malnutrition who are far more vulnerable than any other group. Overall about 1.2 million children are expected to be suffering from acute malnutrition. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), both protracted and newly displaced, and civilians in conflict-affected areas, are among the most vulnerable, with many lacking accesses to essential basic services including health, education and

6 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) services. Protection of civilians Abuses against civilians, including widespread sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), child recruitment, limitations on the freedom of movement, forced evictions and displacement remain a pervasive feature of the conflict in Somalia. An estimated 3.6 million people are in need of protection services. The drought has triggered huge displacement in 2017, with negative coping strategies leading to violations of rights. IDPs face insecurity and violence in their displacement settings, especially women and children. The majority, 76 per cent, of reported GBV incidents were reported by IDPs. Vulnerable groups such as women-headed households, unaccompanied children, socially marginalized and discriminated communities are at particular risk and face specific protection concerns. Assistance and protection of hard-to -reach populations Nearly two million people are estimated to be living in hard to-reach, conflict-affected, rural areas in southern and central Somalia, and in the contested Sool and Sanaag regions in the north. The presence of non-state armed actors or active fighting severely constrains safe humanitarian access in these areas. With limited access to life-saving assistance, crisis affected communities in these areas are disproportionally affected by food insecurity, malnutrition, disease outbreaks and inadequate services. While the needs are similar to those listed above, they are often more acute and people in hard-to-reach areas face additional and very specific protection concerns. Timeline dictator Mohamed Siad Barre is ousted by clan warlords after 22 years in power. Soon after Barre s fall, the northern province of Somaliland breaks off from Somalia and declares its independence the U.S. leads a UN effort to restore peace. However, the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) fails to avert impending famine and infighting among warlords the northern province of Puntland follows Somaliland s example and declares its independence from Somalia following two years of reconciliation talks in Kenya between the various warlords and representatives of the failed Somali state, the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) is established. Political transition towards stability is undermined by fighting amongst clans that make up the TFG, as well as by the rise of Council of Islamic Courts (CIC), whose armed militia is now known as al-shabaab the CIC challenges the TFG and secular warlord militias for control of the country the US-backed Ethiopian invasion restores TFG control of the country. The CIC officially surrenders Mogadishu to Ethiopian-backed Somali troops. Soon afterwards, a new civil war begins in Somalia between Ethiopian occupants and their supporters from the Somali Northern tribes on one side, and Islamic militants, led by al-shabaab and Southern tribes, on the other. That same year, the African Union deploys a peacekeeping mission of 3,500 troops (AMISOM). At present there are some 5000 AMISOM troops in Somalia, based in Banadir/Mogadishu.

7 Ethiopian troops withdraw completely from Mogadishu. Since then, they continue to have a strong presence along the Ethiopia-Somalia border. Glossary Transitional Federal Government (TFG) The product of two years of international mediation led by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the TFG is the fourteenth attempt to create a functioning government in Somalia since the end of Muhammad Siad Barre s dictatorial rule in Formed in late 2004, the TFG governed from neighboring Kenya until June Parliament did not assemble on Somali until February 2006, which is when it met in a converted grain warehouse in the western city of Baidoa because security concerns kept the legislature from entering Mogadishu. Even when it did convene, the TFG lacked cohesion, which undermined its power. Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) An internally displaced person is someone who has moved within the bounds of his or her own country, either for the same sorts of refugee-type reasons, or because of natural or man-made events, for example, earthquake, famine, drought, conflicts, disorder, or development projects, such as high-dam building. Increasingly also, displacement resulting from climate-change, remote as it may be, is attracting attention in all its dimensions, including that of international law.

8 Bibliography 2018 Somalia Humanitarian Needs Overview - Somalia. ReliefWeb, reliefweb.int/report/somalia/2018-somalia-humanitarian-needs-overview. China Contributes US$2 Million toward UNICEF's Humanitarian Response in Somalia [EN/SO] - Somalia. ReliefWeb, reliefweb.int/report/somalia/china-contributes-us2-milliontoward-unicef-s-humanitarian-response-somalia-enso. Department, Guardian Research. Somalia: a History of Events from 1950 to the Present - in Pictures. The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 23 Feb. 2012, Development Assistance in Somalia. The Borgen Project, 28 Mar. 2018, borgenproject.org/humanitarian-aid-to-somalia/. Horn of Africa Drought: UK Charities Boost Somalia Aid. BBC News, BBC, 13 July 2011, Humanitarian Bulletin Somalia, 1 November - 4 December 2018 [EN/SO] - Somalia. ReliefWeb, reliefweb.int/report/somalia/humanitarian-bulletin-somalia-1-november-4-december enso. Ministère de l'europe et des Affaires étrangères. France and Somalia. France Diplomatie : : Ministère De L'Europe Et Des Affaires É trangères, Russian Humanitarian Aid to Population of Republic of Somalia. Кот-Д'Ивуар, /asset_publisher/cknonkje02bw/content/id/ Somali Civil War. Ohio River - New World Encyclopedia, New World Encyclopedia, Somalia. OCHA, 21 Jan. 2019, Somalia Conflict Timeline. Peru - DARA, daraint.org/2010/03/15/769/somalia-conflicttimeline/. Somalia Disaster Assistance. U.S. Agency for International Development, 24 Oct. 2018, Somalia: Russia Calls for Strengthening Somalia's Army. Garowe Online,