Abu Dhabi must clarify security role in Somalia

Abu Dhabi must clarify security role in Somalia

Editorial | This week, we reported on a bizarre observation in which Emirati troops secretly landed in the port city of Bossaso in Puntland, Somalia. By Friday, neither the federal government in Mogadishu nor the government of President Syed Abdullahi Deni in Puntland had offered any explanation.

This has the potential to create unnecessary tension in a country where foreign entities often compete for influence. For the Emiratis, their landing will never be surprising if it is transparent. After all, Abu Dhabi has recently enjoyed rebuilding ties with Mogadishu under Somalia’s new president, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. The Emiratis have been through a turbulent period under Mohamed Farmaajo.

So what could be wrong with this secret?

First, it came at a bad time. The army has been landing as President Denis battles the legitimacy fire after opposition politicians accused him of becoming increasingly authoritarian. Of course, Denis has rejected the allegations in the past, only doing the opposite. His regional pilot elections last year, for example, were mocked as a political plaything for him to control the democratic narrative. With little civic education and campaign diversity, Denis went ahead with the polls, which ultimately resulted in the exclusion of most participants. The danger is that most outside observers praised the polls as a first step, allowing Danny to take credit for what he knew was utterly disastrous.

However, returning to the issue of security, the arrival of troops at this time only carries the risk of politicization. Denis’s term is coming to an end, and it’s unclear whether he will step down or be forcibly re-entered for a second term. If he does, he may certainly need a brutal security force to quell dissent, which is why the troops’ arrival is causing unease.

This is not to say that Abu Dhabi is evil. In fact, its contribution to Somalia’s reconstruction may simply be misused at this time. In fact, the United Emirates is the brain behind the elite Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF), crafted nearly 11 years ago to combat pirates and other maritime criminals. As the world united against piracy in Somali waters, the PMPF became a land-based crime squad in Puntland. But politicians see it as a tool to protect themselves, which is why many UN panels of experts refer to the PMPF as a “private army”.

At one point, the UN Security Council had to end external training for the PMPF as details emerged about how the force would function as a private army. However, the PMPF itself still exists today.

The deployment of the UAE troops may be linked to Puntland’s desire to protect mining areas in the Golis* mountains, sources said. But, as noble as this may seem, it may cause resentment among local communities, who may feel they have not been consulted on mining sites. In Somalia’s security chaos, grievances often tempt al-Shabaab to try to win over sympathizers by pretending to offer better protection. Puntland’s political environment is now more vulnerable to insecurity, especially as it enters a transitional period.

As head of the near-end of Deni’s term, the Emiratis should make it clear how their forces will protect themselves from being used for political gain in Puntland.

Ultimately, the UAE must know that a misstep in Puntland could mean the fall of Somalia. There are geopolitical implications, especially since the UAE has traditionally been seen as aligned with Egypt in Somalia, rivaling the loose alliance between Qatar and Turkey. The latter enjoyed a large stake under Farmayo, while the UAE suffered humiliation. At one point, Somalia even confiscated $9.6 million in emirate funds to pay for trained troops, which Mogadishu sees as a seed of discord.

The money has since been released and repurposed for humanitarian needs. But the UAE’s lesson is to stay apolitical: this is not the time for Somalia to be a proxy for competition.

For example, the United States trained Danab troops, but they refused to get involved in a political melee involving then-Somali President Mohammad Farmayo.

Galloway Online