UNSC lifts sanctions on Eritrea: Still more of the Same-Same, but nothing different!

There are plenty who celebrates the lifting of arms-embargo, asset freeze and targeted sanctions on Asmara and the Eritrean Government, that is happening as the second triparte meeting happened over the weekend. The Peace Agreement with Addis Ababa and Mogadishu is a giant step in peaceful interaction and a better Horn of Africa. However, the Eritrean government is still the same one as before.

It is not like the Eritrean government has stopped their long military subscriptions, using military to do slave labor for the generals and so on. The Presidency of Isias Afwerki is still more of the same. Not like there are openness and trust in the good values. Not like there are any coming elections or any sort of civic enterprise coming to the homes of Eritreans. Therefore, lifting sanctions only gives the Afwerki Administration more leeway and more fiscal funding for their embezzling ways.

The Eritrean military is known for indefinite conscription of their military personnel. That why many has fled and even done what they could to seek refuge elsewhere. On the African Continent, the Eritrean government is the one with the highest amount of political prisoners.

There is most likely no change in the structures of Asmara or the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), which is a one-party state. A state where Afwerki has his fiefdom. With the 15-0 United Nations Security Council voting on the 14th November 2018 to end the sanctions. Will most likely give him more power to continue his rule. The leverage and the bargain chips the UNSC had over Eritrea is now lost. These was put because of interference with Djibouti and Somalia. The arms trading to terrorist groups there. Therefore, the peaceful transition of the latest month has been positive.

Still, the reality in Asmara is more of the same. Not like the PFDJ will be transparent, hold elections or even care for a free press. Not like the Afwerki regime will stop the enslavement, torture, imprisonment and enforced disappearance of political adversaries, these acts will continue. We know that elections will not happen, as the latest one was happening in May 2004. If it was held, it would most likely be a one-party charade to facilitate an official second term for the President and nothing else. As he has been the President without question since independence in 1994.

So, the legitimacy and the recognition from the world has come the way of Eritrea. They are not a piraya or a dangerous dictatorship anymore. They are just a dictatorship with an iron-fist. Who doesn’t deserve sanctions anymore, because of their diplomatic relationship with Somalia and Ethiopia. The peace has served them well. Clearly the Asmara has gotten well off with this.

They are not changing or even testing the leadership, but letting the external relationship help the internal problems vanish. However, the same structures, the same military and sole dictatorship is still there. Not like that has changed over the last few months. No, it is more of the same. Therefore, the ones who voted for this, should consider the ramification and the elites earning on the sanctions. As they will benefit from this.

Afwerki might have waited long, but he is off the hook. Even if he still makes his suffer and take away their freedom. The International Community isn’t hurting the state anymore, not in the way it used too. Let see what the consequences of this is, but certainly it will only do the administration good. Not the public, as they are the same one used by PFDJ, when they need it. Peace.

Ethiopia congratulates the people and the Government of the State of Eritrea on the lifting of the sanctions (14.11.2018)

Ethiopia: H.E. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed finalized a tripartite meeting with Presidents of the State of Eritrea and the Federal Republic of Somalia (12.11.2018)

Joint Statement Of the Bahr Dar Meeting between the Leaders of Ethiopia, Somalia and Eritrea (10.11.2018)

Somalia: A Joint Statement by Southwest Scholars, and Civil Society Leaders Regarding Direct Meddling in the Southwest State Electoral Process (07.11.2018)

Ethiopia: Press Release from OPM on negotiations with the Defence Force (08.11.2018)

UN mission calls for consensus on credible and peaceful presidential election in Somalia’s South West State (07.11.2018)

The events unfolding in the last few days, including the divisions among the stakeholders, ahead of the upcoming presidential election in Somalia’s South West State, have the potential to lead to violence. The United Nations Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) calls on all parties and stakeholders to work together to ensure that this Somali-owned electoral process proceeds in accordance with the established rules and avoids any behaviour which may lead to conflict or undermine the integrity of the electoral process.

“With this election being the first in a series to be held around the country – both at the regional level next year and national level in 2020 – there is a real need to set the precedent for credible and peaceful electoral processes,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Nicholas Haysom. “I note that Somalia’s international partners had expressed similar hopes and concerns in November 2016 during the country’s federal parliamentary elections, when it called on all stakeholders to collaborate in ensuring a positive outcome.”

“I am confident that, in keeping with their tradition, Somali leaders will find a solution, through dialogue, to the issues surrounding this electoral process. An electoral process that is transparent, enjoys broad consensus on the rules governing its conduct, and is free from irregularities can only promote widespread acceptance of the results, and avoid violent confrontations at or after polling,” added Mr. Haysom, who also serves as UNSOM’s head.

The regional assembly of South West State is due to hold a presidential election on 17 November. Similar votes will take place in the Federal Member States of Puntland and Jubaland in 2019.

UNSOM Condemns Unprovoked Shooting on UN Convoy in Galmudug State (06.11.2018)

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) condemns the obstruction and attack on a convoy of UN vehicles that occurred along the road between the cities of Galkayo and Adaado in Galmudug state on Saturday, 3 November.

The convoy was accompanied by a dozen police officers from South Galkayo in the late afternoon of Saturday when it was stopped some five kilometres outside Adaado at a checkpoint manned by eight men claiming to be police officers. None of the individuals wore police uniforms, but they refused to grant passage to the convoy that was carrying a team of UN personnel assigned to make preparations for an upcoming visit to Dhusamarreb by UN officials.

After the UN officials decided to abort the mission and head back to Galkayo, a truck carrying  militiamen drove through the checkpoint and opened fire on the UN convoy. None of the members of the convoy was injured nor were any of the UN vehicles damaged in the shooting incident.

“Last week’s attack on a UN convoy is unacceptable, and we call on the authorities in Galmudug state and the Federal Government to  hold accountable those militiamen who opened fire on our colleagues. Such an attack has not happened to the UN in Somalia for a very long time.” said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Nicholas Haysom. “United Nations personnel must be granted free passage throughout Somalia at all times. They must be able to implement the mandates of UNSOM and UN agencies, funds and programmes without running the risk of being fired upon for no justifiable reason.”

Ethiopia: OPM – The Press Secretariat within the FDRE Prime Minister’s Office holds first Press Briefing (05.11.2018)

Somalia: Need for peaceful resolution in Tukaraq among topics UN envoy discussed in visit to Puntland and Somaliland (04.11.2018)

The United Nations envoy to Somalia today wrapped up a two-day visit which took him to Puntland and Somaliland, where he met their leaders and discussed a range of issues – including the need for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the Tukaraq area of the contested Sool region which lies between them.

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Nicholas Haysom, spent Sunday in Somaliland’s capital, Hargeisa, where he met its President Muse Bihi Abdi.

“I had the opportunity to discuss with the president the recent changes in the region, the challenges facing Somaliland and of course, in that regard, we touched on the conflict in Tukaraq,” he said. “In particular, how that conflict can be managed to avoid any conflagration, any irruption of hostilities in the short term, and a long-term solution for that conflict.”

“Here in Somaliland we got a sense of the impact of the changes in the region and what that meant for the challenges facing Somaliland,” Mr. Haysom added. “And, of course, [we got] to discuss the Somaliland-Somalia relations.”

The UN official also met with a group of Somaliland civil society representatives and parliamentarians, who provided him with an overview of challenges and achievements in recent years regarding political, electoral and security issues.

On Saturday, Mr. Haysom had been in Garowe, the capital of neighbouring Puntland, where he met with its President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali ‘Gaas.’

As with Somaliland’s leader, the need for maintaining peace in Tukaraq, where forces from Puntland and Somaliland have clashed in recent months, was a topic of discussion.

They also discussed how to improve relations between the Federal Government of Somalia and the country’s Federal Member States, in light of recent political tensions.

“We looked at the ways in which both levels of government in Somalia can work together to achieve what Somalis want, which is peace and prosperity,” the UN official said, adding that the visit was an “important opportunity to underline that for Somalia to succeed everyone needs to work in the same direction.”