ACABQ Race Might Have Eritrea and Kelapile, US in ECOSOC Clean Slate
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 7, 2012 -- With presidential elections in the UN's
Host Country over, attention turns to a more nitty gritty, follow the money
race, for seats on the UN's Advisory Committee on Administrative and
Budgetary Questions, which produces analysis of UN budget proposals.
Three months ago Inner City Press first reported on the contest among
candidates from Botswana - the incumbent chair of ACABQ Collen Kelapile -
Eritrea and Kenya
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/acabq1eribotsken080712.html> .
The assumption was that only one of these three could get in. Kelapile and
his supporters argue, rightly, that he has experience, having been
vice-chair for two years under the US' Susan McClurg, then the last two
years as chair.
This week, in order to make up for analysis time lost during the shutdown
of the UN by Super Storm Sandy, ACABQ under Kelapile is working from 10 am
to 2 pm, and 3 pm to 8 or 9.
Eritrea had continued to insist that it won the endorsement not only of
the African Union but also the "East Africans," and that it gave up claims
on a vice presidency of the General Assembly, which Kenya got. Now Kenya is
in the running.
Eritrea is under UN sanctions (though it has contested the work of former
sanctions group chief Matt Bryden); Kelapile is said to have garnered
substantial support in the Western European and Other group.
From West Africa, candidates from Benin and Senegal are running. Since
rotation and intra-regional deals are not binding, some are predicting that
Kelapile and Eritrea could win.
Meanwhile for the November 8 ECOSOC election, the United States which
often speaks out against "clean slates" without competition -- has just
that. But it faces a more dificult race for the Human Rights Council. More
on that anon. Watch this site.
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Bombing of Khartoum Arms Facilities Was Raised in UNSC But Went Nowhere
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 7, 2012 -- Two weeks after explosions at the
Al-Yarmouk arms factory in Khartoum, which Sudan and others attribute to an
Israeli bombing raid, the issue remains largely unaddressed at the UN.
On November 7 Inner City Press asked Security Council president Hardeep
Singh Puri of India for the state of play, after being told by some Sudanese
diplomats that a second, more detailed letter would be filed.
Hardeep Singh Puri graciously checked into the matter, and then
exclusively told Inner City Press "Yes there was a letter. Then the issue
was raised by one member in the Council. We asked the Secretariat if any
further information available. They said no, and that is where it is."
Back on October 24, Inner City Press asked Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's
spokesman Martin Nesirky:
Inner City Press: there has been in Khartoum in Sudan, a large explosion in
an arms depot or transit point, and the Government there is saying that
Israel did it with airplanes, and I am wondering, since that would be
cross-border, deep into Sudanese territory, the UN, are they aware of the
explosion, have there been any consequences of it and who do they believe is
behind it? What's their response to this?
Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, we are obviously aware of the media reports, but
we don't have anything further on that, Matthew. Okay, any other questions?
The UN Secretariat has said nothing since -- and told the Security Council
it has no further information. Does it WANT to get any further information?
Within Sudan there are divisions on how close the government should be to
Iran; the allegation is that the Yarmouk facilities was involved in Iranian
weapons passage to Hamas. Will one of the UN's imaginative sanctions group
of experts, like those on DRC, Somalia or Cote d'Ivoire, dig into this one?
Also on Sudan, Inner City Press on November 7 asked Nesirky for the UN's
response to Sudan declaring over the tripartite agreement to get
humanitarian aid into Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile. Nesirky said a
request to extend the agreement has been made. We'll see -- watch this site.
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On Somalia, US Still Disputes Funding Study, So Roll Over 4 Months, Past
Rice and S. Africa
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 6, 2012 -- On the Somalia resolution pending in the
UN Security Council, the European
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/som1naval110112.html> "cheapness" on which
Inner City Press reported November 1
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/som1naval110112.html> continues -- now
joined by mounting US aversion to another provision, Operative Paragraph
(OP) 10.
The result is that 24 hours before the extended deadline of the Somalia
mission's mandate, the UK penned resolution with a one year extension has
still not been put "in blue" and ready for voting. Rather a mere four month
extension was being prepared.
When Inner City Press asked this month's Security Council president
Hardeep Singh Puri about it on November 2, he expressed opposition to
another short term roll over. But that now seems possible.
It appears that the UK is more concerned with the position of the US than
the African Union, which wants the Kenyan maritime component in.
The US is said to oppose OP 10, which would say the Security Council
"welcomes support to AMISOM by the African Union's partners, especially
through the European Union's African Peace Facility, but notes the limited
resources of this facility in the context of AMISOM' s mandate renewal,
underlines the importance of predictable and sustainable funding for AMISOM,
as called for by the AU, and requests the Secretary General, in consultation
with the AU, to include in his upcoming review options and recommendations
for AMISOM's funding."
African members have asked, what's wrong with at least at least studying
this? More recently they have proposed more vague language, about Ban
Ki-moon looking into the funding issue with the AU. But the UK tells them
this might still be too much.
A well placed source mused to Inner City Press that the four month kicking
the can down the road might be so "Susan Rice is off the Security Council,
and South Africa is off the Security Council."
The latter is certain -- Rwanda formally joins on January 1 -- while the
latter seems based on an adverse result on the day of the quote, or
ascension to Foggy Bottom. (A wise analysis says Kerry's ascention might, if
Scott Brown loses to Elizabeth Warren, make Brown favored to take and
"re-hat" Kerry's Bay State Senate seat.
But enough of US politics -- "that's what the UK says" -- the re-hatting
we'll stay focused on here is of AMISOM.
On the Somalia arms embargo, a concern has arisen that lifting the embargo
might help Somaliland and Puntland become more independent. On the charcoal
sales, the draft would have the Council noting the "intention of the Somali
authorities to study this unique situation further, and expressing its
willingness to take further action, if appropriate and in consultation with
the Somali authorities, to address this situation."
Also at issue is proposed Operative Paragraph 5 of the draft, which says
the Security Council
"Expresses its intention to review AMISOM's authorised tasks as provided for
in paragraph 1 of this resolution within four months ofthe date of this
resolution and no longer than six months, including reassessing the utility
of a maritime component."
African and other members of the Security Council have asked the European
members why they are adverse to paying for the Kenyan naval component which,
even outside of AMISOM and its ostensible human rights standards, help drive
Al Shabaab out of Kismayo.
The responses have ranged from wanting more information about the maritime
component -- one source counters, it's a little late, isn't it? -- to not
wanting the Kenyan Navy to take over from the Europeans' own anti-piracy
Operation ATALANTA. Click her
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/som2eupmc042712.html> e for previous Inner
City Press coverage of that.
An African diplomatic source told Inner City Press, "It seems the
Europeans don't want their parliaments to see that the fight against piracy
could be done better and cheaper than they are doing it."
Another compared this standoff to past reimbursements, including
depreciation, to Germany for its ships off Lebanon in the UNIFIL mission.
Germany's foreign minister Westerwelle is slated to be at the UN on
Wednesday -- rain or shine. Watch this site.
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On Somalia, UNSC Led by France Plays Cheap on Ships, Mogadishu in Manhattan
III
By Matthew Russell Lee
UNITED NATIONS, November 7, 2012 -- After "three or four" countries blocked
a 12 month extension of the Somalia peacekeeping mission and funding of a
maritime component, Wednesday morning the UN Security Council adopted by a
15-0 vote a mere four month extension.
Inner City Press covered the negotiations, here
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/som3naval110612.html> , and is now putting
online the earlier 12-month draft, here
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/amisom1dr110212.pdf> , as a public service.
After the vote, countries ranging from South Africa and India to Guatemala
said in their explanations of vote that the maritime component should have
been included.
South Africa's Deputy Permanent Representative Doctor Mashabane came to
the stakeout and Inner City Press asked him, how many votes did you have for
the maritime component?
Ten, he said, adding that it was blocked by "three or four" Council
members. (Another well placed source told Inner City Press the cheapness
came mostly "from France.")
Inner City Press asked if Kenya will now withdraw its ships, since the
Security Council didn't approve funding for this maritime component.
Mashabane said he couldn't speak for Kenya, but added that the African Union
doesn't just wake up and make requests, and that its requests should be
treated with more respect by the UN Security Council.
This is a topic that Italy's Romano Prodi was paid by the UN to study. Now
he is paid as an Under Secretary General, working from Italy, covering the
Sahel and Mali. France wants approval to spend UN money in Mali. Why not for
the job done and to be done in Somalia?
Further inquiry with a proponent or defender of the compromise yields the
position that the four month rollover will allow more time to consult with
Somalia's president, on issues like the arms embargo. That way, the argument
goes, the process will be more Somali led.
There was also some downplaying of Kenya getting shorted. Its sailors,
it's said, are already getting "paid by the EU."
A real issue seems to be that the EU "African Peace Facility" which has
directed funds to AMISOM will now be shifted over to Mali.
Some say the US was most opposed to the provision directing Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon to study, with the AU, funding to replace this European
Union facility. This is a reason it would be good to have more stakeouts by
the US.
Mogadishu in Manhattan <
http://www.innercitypress.com/mog1manh072711.html>
III: Finally, Inner City Press has exclusively learned of another round of
intrigue in the Somali Mission to the UN. Idd Beddel Mohamed, who had made
previous forays for promotion within the Mission
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/mog1manh072711.html> , is now said to be
"campaigning in Mogadishu," and that this includes a letter to the UN
Secretariat again naming him(self) to a position.
Inner City Press is putting the letter online, her
<
http://www.innercitypress.com/idd1beddel.pdf> e, as a public service and
more.
The problem, the sources say, is that the letter is from the FORMER
Minister. They say that the date of the letter is one day after the
designated prime minster left New York after the attending the General
Debate.
During his stay at the UN GA, nothing of any contents of the letter was
discussed or brought to the attention of the Somali Ambassador. However, Idd
Beddel flew to Mogadishu and sent the letter straight to the Secretary
General's office "bypassing the whole Somalia mission." Now what? Watch
this site.
Received on Wed Nov 07 2012 - 20:52:29 EST
