SKYMUN VIII Chair Report

Committee​: Security Council Issue​: Situation in Student Officer​: Glenn Lee, Assistant President

1. Introduction Historical Background: The dire situation of the increasingly anarchist lies in the multiple power struggles. Somalia has been in an almost anarchist state for the past three decades and has had multiple power struggles between , terrorist groups, and international coalitions attempting to fill the power vacuum since the beginning of the Somalian . This has led to perpetual violence, massive displacement, and an overall unstable region. Ever since the independence of Somali, its leadership had been weak and oppressive. In 1969 after a coup by the Somalian army, the leadership position was handed over to General Mohamed . Under Barre, the Somalian dissolved the parliament, Supreme Court, and the constitution, effectively beginning a . In April of 1978, after a failed coup by disgruntled members of the Majeerateen clan, Barre became increasingly aggressive and brutal. Barre utilized the coup attempt to kill thousands of Majeerateen members who were unaffiliated to the. Under the guise of a coup backlash, he targeted everyone and used them as an excuse to kill, and worked to continue to weaken them as he ruled. He closed schools, hospitals and destroyed water reservoirs leading to thousands dead and more than 150,000 animals of the Majeerateen clan killed. Unrest and displeasure between many clans toward the government meant harsher punishments and more opposition. Eventually, the Somali National Movement (SNM) was formed by people in the clan, who were based in London. They used guerilla war tactics to target Baree and his men effectively, and harnessed soldiers from the Isaaq clan. In retaliation, the government planned to mass murder thousands of innocent civilians wherever the SNM went, and began an “ethinic cleansing” of the Isaaq people. Every attack by the SNM meant bombings and killings of any person and the Isaaq clan. They destroyed the second and third largest cities in Somalia, and left upwards of 400,000 people displaced, killing more than 50,000 in the clan conflict. By the 1990s, the Somalian economy was in terrible shape with banks in shambles, and black markets in cities acting as banks. The military upped their tactics to conduct regular “night sweeps'' leading to disappearances of people. Eventually, all this came together and militans overthrew Barre and started the civil war. The Somalian Civil War has left Somalia unstable and inhabitable in most areas which led to the instability. The clan system of Somalia was one of the big reasons why the power vacuum was not filled. The clans could not come together and reach an agreement, leading to further fighting. Hussein Warsame, a professor at Calgary University in Canada observed that “many clans would burn (aid) to prevent it from falling into the hands of its rivals.” There was no government until 2006, and the law and order was mostly religious and between clans. Statistics from the World Factbook from the CIA found that only “21% of the population had access to safe drinking water,” which is clearly a problem if people are not able to meet a basic human need and a right. Although groups such as the , which toppled the previous Barre government, attempted to take control of Somalia, infighting and the lack of military might meant that they could not find much progress. Groups would fight one another and take territory, only for it to be taken by another group in the future. No group could hold solid territory for extended periods of time. In such cases, after 4 months of intense fighting, a ceasefire was brokered between two groups because neither group could beat the other and control the city. In 1992, the United Nations stepped in to provide humanitarian aid and created the United Nations Operation in Somalia I and subsequently UNOSOM II. They successfully brokered peace deals, opened trade, and attempted to end some clan fighting. However, some did not like the presence of the U.N, and some local fought peacekeepers in multiple battles. This led to the U.N completely withdrawing in 1995. The Barre government and the beginning of the civil war affects Somalia's overall stability to this day. The instability of the Somalia Civil War has left the country in a state of rebuild and constant struggle. Ever since the United Nations Operation in Somalia 2 ended, there have been various conflicts and struggles for power. The country shuffled through countless governments starting from the Transitional National Government which ran from 2000-2004, then the Transitional Federal Government from 2004-2012, which eventually led to the now utilized, Federal Government of Somalia. The 2012 election for the Federal Government of Somalia was the first presidential election since 1967, and was the first formal parliament elected in over 20 years, showing the progress needed to be made in the conflict-torn country.

Current Issues and Problems Faced: We of the biggest problems faced is the clan system in Somalia. 4 major clans (, , Isaaq, ) virtually run Somalia as they hold almost all of the power in the country. This is a unique aspect of the country, and they have been around since the conception and independence of Somalia, leading them to hold a lot of power. Even after Somalia was in an almost anarchist state, the clan system is one that helped Somalia maintain some societal control. However, the quality of life was drastically reduced because of the conflicts, and the divisions between the clans caused bloodshed and led to an entire civil war. Even now in 2021, the clan system in Somalia is leading to political instability, and has frozen the country. Because the groups were unable to reach a compromise on how to run the elections that were scheduled for February 8, 2021, they are without a current President, and are still struggling to decide on how to run the country. Furthermore, the clan system made it impossible for Somalia to have a one person-one party vote, and the country must vote using an indirect system with representatives and elders from different clans choosing their preferred President. The clan system has also created a multitude of complicated rules that were negotiated upon, then refused to sign, leading to a prolonged impasse for a multitude of months. The clan system is a major blockade in solving the problem in Somalia, but one that needs to be dealt with carefully, and cannot be ignored, because the 4 major clans hold the majority of the power in the country. Another problem are the opposition groups and terrorism in Somalia. Groups such as the (ICU) and Al-Shabaab are key problem areas in trying to solve the crisis and ongoing deaths in Somalia. The ICU rose to power by promising freedom and was able to take large chunks of land, including the capital of Somalia, . However, when the ICU were defeated and driven out of Mogadishu, they split up into different groups, leading to a more radical and dangerous group. Al-Shabaab is the radical wing, and they continue to have many positions in the rural areas of Somalia, due to their power. They have an adeuqate military supply, and militants, leading them to continue to conduct suicide bombings and attacks on Somalian land. Even as the United States continues amping up its drone attacks killing hundreds of soldiers, recently a Somalian base “was struck by car bombs and gunfire… killing many soldiers.” They have toned down their attacks in recent years, but still have been active in the region, with a recent hotel car bombing attack that killed 9 and injured countless others. Furthermore, because of the unstable nature of the country, corruption is a high risk in the country, although steps have been taken to reduce this. As a United States State Department report in 2015 highlighted, courts are susceptible to influence by politicians, and are often ignored, in lieu of clan judgements or wishes. Other institutions such as the important Somali National Army has been at center stage regarding corruption, and the United States cut off aid to it, due to concerns about the nature of the military. Supplies sent were mismanaged, and often couldn’t be accounted for, leading to concerns about aid stealing and hoarding. A United States official reported that they “did not find the expected large quantities of food at any location [and that] there was no evidence of consumption (except at two bases),” leading many to believe that there were deep problems within the ranks of the military. Even with millions of dollars in supplies, food, and ammunition, soldiers barely had weapons, and proper equipment sparking worries about terrorist groups taking such supplies. Another major issue highlighted in this chair report is the general humanitarian crisis inside Somalia. There are an estimated 2.6 million internally displaced people (IDPs), per estimates from Human Rights Watch, as a result of the fighting in the country. They also noted 1,154 civilian casualties in the last year, a majority due to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) by Al-Shabab and other terrorist groups. Furthermore, statistics from last year indicate that almost one million children are at risk of being intensely malnourished, which would mean a generation of starving and undeveloped children, leading to greater problems in the region. This is another area in which Somalia is lacking and needs assistance to alleviate many of the pains. As a result of the high internally displaced people in Somalia, women and girls, especially face a higher risk of danger. According to the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), 95% of gender based violence in Somalia is directed towards women and girls, with more than three-quarters against those who are displaced. Due to many being displaced, with limited help, they are often left vulnerable at areas such as refugee camps, and displaced communities. Poor shelter, lack of security, and the need for resources means that girls especially are targeted, and must fend for themselves. As the UNFPA report on gender-based violence (GBV) in Somalia noted, “a lack of male/female segregated and lockable toilets, distances women and girls have to walk to water and fuel wood collection points, [and] to health facilities and markets,” are all specific examples in which woman and girls are left without much assistance and are harassed along the way. The final issue to be explored in this chair report, is the problem of child soldiers, and the extensive use of them. The United Nations Secretary General reported that in 2019, “Somalia forcefully recruited and used in conflict 2,228 boys and 72 girls,” with many of them being tasked to either fight or assist in the various conflicts. However, a majority of these recruited soldiers are not the result of the government hiring or utilizing them, but are the result of terrorist groups such as Al-Shabaab imprisoning, then using the child soldiers. The terrorist groups often ask and threaten communities there for children since they do not put up much resistance, as well as are more expendable. Other times, groups abduct children directly through attacking schools and vulnerable communities with force. This is clearly a problem because these terrorist groups utilize children to fight instead of them, as well as indoctre children, affecting generations, and leading many to a path of violence and radicalism. For many rural communities, they do not have adequate protection, is an area in which to look for solutions due to the dire problem of children being stolen for terrorism and war.

Previous Efforts To Resolve: One of the major efforts to resolve the crisis were the United Nations interventions. United Nations Operation in Somalia I (UNOSOM I) and United Nations Operation in Somalia II (UNOSOM II) with the United States and the UN help were able to provide temporary relief to the nation with their humanitarian and peace-brokering efforts. The first operation lasted a few months, before its duties were transferred over to UNOSOM II. The operations let U.N peacekeepers come into the region to use “all necessary means to guarantee the delivery of humanitarian aid.” During the 2 year work in Somalia, the U.N brokered a peace deal between two clans, opened trade routes, secured harbors and airports, and was a general positive to the grim region. In total, more than 30,000 personnel members were sent in to work on the operation, with a bulk of them being soldiers. However, as time went on, the Somali people began to become hostile to the forengingers and did not like them coming in, and the relationship between the people faltered. Eventually, Somali militias and Warlords defied the Security Council, and began attacking the peacekeepers leading the people to also grow hostile to them. The final straw was during the Battle of Mogadishu, which was a part of UNOSOM II, or a U.N mission, with assistance of the United States, relating to Somalia. As a result, the United Nations Security Council was active with peacekeepers in the region, and passed various resolutions such as Resolution 837 which was designed to protect such deployed peacekeepers in the UNOSOM mission. However, the battle saw 19 Americans brutally killed and tens other injured, leading to the withdrawal of all US forces by then-President Bill Clinton, and the shift away from the UNOSOM missions which were seen as unsuccessful.

2. Definition of Key Terms United Somali Congress The United Somali Congress was one primary reason behind the toppling of the Barre regime. They have gained most of the land from Barre’s military, and had him surrounded, eventually taking control of Mogadishu which put an end to the Barre government. However, when the original Barre government was toppled, the various clans and rebel groups could not find an agreement, and they split off leading to further conflict, adding fuel to the fire. They had a major feud with the Hawiye and the clans on who would get the land and power. By 1994, the new transitional government disarmed the group and they were disbanded. The USC were instrumental in taking down Barre, but were ineffective in keeping this power or governing.

Transitional Federal Government, Republic of Somalia The TFG or the Transitional Federal Government was the central government of Somalia from 2004-2012. They served as a provisional government, and a transitional government, as the name suggests to build a system that everyone could agree on. They were the internationally recognized nation and government, and they were backed by the United Nations. Officially, the TFG was the executive branch of the government which was headed by the President of Somalia. Continuing tradition, the Transitional Federal Government did not have democratic elections, and the cabinet members were selected by the President. Although the goal for the TFG was to bring Somalia away from a and to prosperity, internal arguments and the rise of terrorism made it hard for them to achieve their goals. Over the course of its history, they were defeated by the ICU, driven out of Mogadishu, reclaimed Mogadishu and had to deal with more terrorists. Somali Clans (Darod, Hawiye, Isaaq, Dir) Somalia runs on a 4.5 clan system, with power split between the 4 main clans (Darod, Hawiye, Isaaq, Dir) and the 0.5 being distributed among other small clans in Somalia. The clans are the heart of Somalia and run districts and businesses, running Somalia with their power. The Darod clan is one of the largest in Somalia and beyond. The first president of the TFG Abdullahi Yusuf was part of the clan and they have had tensions with the Hawiye clan. Barre was also part of the Darod clan, and used his power with the clan to not be overthrown. Because there are many subclans in the big Darod clan, the men were not directly affiliated, but the rival and the opposition clan (Hawiye) did not like them being part of the same larger clan, leading to conflicts and tensions. The Hawiye clan is the main opposition clan to the Darod clan and they are rivals. Because of previous President Barre’s actions, the Darod-Hawiye mistrust has been large. Furthermore, as each clan tasted power, they broke into sub clans to fight and get the most resources that they could. Different sub clans of the large umbrella clan each believed that the land was theirs, and there was severe infighting inside the clans. Eventually, the clans split up the land, but the fighting between the two major clans in the Hawiye still exists. (Habargidir and Abgal)

Siad Barre Siad Barre was the military dictator that ruled Somalia from the beginning of the independence to the start of the Somalia Civil War. He was one of the reasons that the crisis even began, as he caused so much violence that it all turned back on the country. Although some tout him as a good leader, his brutalness and genocides overshadow his positive role in the country. He exploited his power to kill thousands and take down his rival clans, putting Somalia down a path of destruction.

Mogadishu Mogadishu is a key region in Somalia, and is also the capital. It is one of the most fought places, and it has switched hands multiple times. More than 30 American Citizens have died fighting in the city against extremists, and many battles have been fought between clan and ideology. This is a key piece of land, and as previously mentioned, the Darod and Hawiye clan fought in the capital for 4 months, which eventually led to a ceasefire due to a stalemate. This is where a lot of the fighting occurs and even in 2006, the ICU fought the United States backed militias. It has been an area of increased fighting, and where groups go to stake their claim in the Somalia government.

Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) An improvised explosive device or an IED is a bomb that is unauthorized, and often, as the name suggests, improvised. They are not official bombs created, but unconventional weapons to detonate and attack. They are common in conflicts with terrorist groups, who use IEDs as a roadside bomb, and are lethal due to its effectiveness. Although they are improvised, they are often able to affect large groups of people, because they are not as recognizable. They are also cheap and relatively easy to make, unlike a conventional bomb, further making it an attractive proposition for warring factions. Specifically, in Somalia, Al-Shabaab, a major terrorist group, continues to utilize IEDs and IED attacks to their benefit, as their attacks have caused over “5,000 casualties and approximately 2,177 fatalities between 2017 and 2019.” The frequency and force of these attacks have also grown over the years. Because they use homemade explosives, they are able to easily traffick the various chemicals over vulnerable sea ports or through the Red Sea, giving them better accessibility. The group has also varied its ingredients using concentrated nitric acid, potassium nitrate, and ammonium nitrate, as some of their key ingredients. This complicates the process in tracking them down because they are able to use homemade ingredients, and ingredients that have practical applications outside of weapon/explosive device usage.

Somaliland is a self-declared country, and is distinct to its neighbour of Somalia. After the bloody Somalia civil war, Somaliland declared independence from Somalia on May 18, 1991. They claim to be a country due to the existence of the British Somaliland, and the independent State of Somaliland. They have been independent since they have declared as such, and maintain a democratic government, electing their first President in 2003. However, the country is not internationally recognized by any country or international organization, and are presumed to simply be Somaila. As a result, they have very little power, but are still often in discussions with Somalia, and neighbouring states such as Puntland.

Internally Displaced People (IDP) Internally Displaced People or IDPs are people who are forced to flee their homes, but remain in their country. As a result, IDPs are not technically or legally considered refugees, because they have not crossed a border into another country. This is a major problem in Somalia, with displaced peoples due to war, but are often unable to escape due to the harsh conditions. As a result, per estimates from Human Rights Watch, there are about 2.6 million internally displaced people (IDPs) in Somalia, with the number growing each year. It is a key issue that remains unsolved and causes a lot of other problems such as gender based violence, as mentioned above.

3. Timeline of Key Events 1991 - Barre’s Government Falls, Start of Somalia Civil War From 1986, Barre’s corrupt and authoritarian-style government had been weakening with pressure all around him. People from inside his administration had been doubting him, while opposition groups were gaining steam, and advancing into his territory. By 1991, he was overrun by militias and opposition groups, leading to the end of his rule, as the capital, Mogadishu was taken. However, the end of his regime and government was just the beginning of a bloody and costly civil war. Because of the power vacuum left by Barre, and the clan system that constantly feuded, solutions could not be found, and groups resorted to fighting to gather their power. The end of Barre was just the beginning of a Civil War that would continue to rock Somalia to this day.

1992 - Somalia Famine During 1992, the fighting between the clans and rebel groups led to the destruction of ecology, and the agricultural sector. This was especially hard hitting for the nation, considering the fact that a majority of the civilians had to deal with famine and war, which led to tens of thousands of deaths. The conditions in which people died was mostly because of the ongoing Civil War that had just started to heat up. During the war, the tactics that Barre used in the 1970s to hunt rival clans were utilized and adopted by various factions to kill thousands of innocent people. The clan members went around destroying livestock, water supplies, and making it near impossible for people to get food. Furthermore, to make the situation worse, the agriculture industry could not provide anywhere near the amount of food needed to feed people, and people went hungry everywhere. As the pictures of the war became more publicized, and the concerns of Somalia grew larger, President George H.W. Bush called for humanitarian aid in Somalia. The events of the Somalia Famine and Civil War lead to UNOSOM I and Operation Restore Hope, in which aid was sent to Somalia in order to combat the increasing number of issues within the country.

1992 - Beginning of United Nations Operation in Somalia or UNOSOM I & II As mentioned above, the United Nations Operation in Somalia or UNOSOM was a United Nations program to improve conditions in Somalia and to broker peace due to the ongoing Civil War. At first, the United Nations utilized troops in the area to keep the peace, and attempted to negotiate peace deals between various warring clans. Even though they called for a ceasefire, it was mostly ignored, and the fighting continued. Somalian soldiers would shoot at United Nations troops, equipment and personnel, leading to the risk of hundreds of lives. General Mohamed Aidid in particular did not like the United Nations presence and asked them to fully withdraw, threatening the UN and their peacekeepers. This and the United States willingness to lead the operation led to the creation of UNOSOM II which gave the US controlled, and UN sanctioned power to do whatever was needed to solve the Somalian crisis. In the end, the Americans pulled out, after 30 of its soldiers were killed during a conflict, and as the conditions grew too risky for Americans to stay.

2000 - Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) / Djibouti Conference In Djibouti, Somalias intellectuals met in a conference to discuss the future of Somalia where they decided to create the Transitional National Government (TNG/TNA) and various other measures such as ceasefires. Although it was generally seen as ineffective and did not actually implement the key ceasefire until 6 years later, it was a step in the right direction and was one of the first productive peace talks in which all parties were satisfied. In the Declaration of the National Commitment, ANNEXE II in particular relates to the issues of “Cease-fire, Disarmament and Security,” in the region. It read: “The desire of the Somali people for peace and security through disarmament is unambiguous. This call is heard repeated throughout the country from all segments of the Somali society, who have consistently demand (sic) an end to violence.” Although it took 6 years, the Transitional National Government was able to implement the declaration and attempt to shape Somalia.

2004 - Creation and Continuation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) The TFG or the Transitional Federal Government was an interim government created in 2004, and formally convened during 2006. This was the second government created in order to transition to the current Federal Government of Somalia, and was generally successful. It was internationally recognized as the government of Somalia from 2004 to 2012, and was a legitimate interim government. During this time, great strides were made to improve the quality of life in Somalia, but the rise of terrorism and continued corruption damped on the successes. In 2004, the Freedom House FreedomIndex rated it a 6.5/7 while in 2012, it decreased to a 7/7 (7 being the worst). Eventually, a new constitution was voted on in 2012, and the government was transitioned into the current system.

2007 - UN Peacekeeping Operations Begin in Mogadishu In early 2007, the United Nations authorized six months of a peacekeeping mission in Mogadishu by the African Union in order to protect the capital, after heavy fighting. The mission named the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is an ongoing peacekeeping mission, with the purpose centered around security, and militaristic aid. They were first deployed due to ensure stability in Mogadishu, or Somalia’s capital due to the terrorist group, ICU, being driven out, but still attacking the area. Other countries such as wanted their troops out, and ANISOM was able to come in to provide security and aid. In 2019, this same peacekeeping mission was extended by the Security Council in Resolution 2472 until at least 2021, with troop numbers reduced, showing its importance and effectiveness. 2008 - The UN Security Council Authorizes Operations to Combat Somalian Piracy Although not as extensively covered in this chair report due to declining numbers and attacks, piracy was, and still is an issue near Somalia and its borders. In 2008, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1851, which allowed states to use land-based operations in Somalia to fight against piracy off the coast. This meant that the Security Council gave clearance for groups to take any measures that were appropriate in order to attempt to reduce piracy in the region. In this resolution, the Security Council encouraged countries to work together to reduce such attacks, and stressed the importance of international cooperation, especially when coming to the investigation and prosecution of those caught in illicit activities. In one of the preambulatory clauses of the Resolution 1851, the Security Council mentions how they “welcome the launching of the EU operation Atalanta to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia and to protect vulnerable ships bound for Somalia, as well as the efforts by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,” further showing how the Council pushed for international agreements and groups to work together due to the complex nature of piracy, in a war-torn country like Somalia.

2012 - Somalia Famine and Food Crisis Between October 2010, and April 2012, Somalia was plunged in a famine, which ravaged the country in a scale larger than any other before. A study by the The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) found that “258,000 people died in southern and central parts of Somalia,” with “133,000 of them being children.” This made it the worst famine in Somalia with almost 10% of children dying due to the effects of malnourishment. The famine was triggered by a drought, which “led to livestock deaths, reduced harvests, and drops in labour demand,” as described by the report. This link-chain of events meant that food prices increased at astronomical rates, and reduced the accessibility, triggering the terminal impact of a famine and mass death. The famine was a large setback for the governments and international organizations in their quest for stability and peace.

2016 - Puntland and (Somali Regions) Agree to Ceasefire In late September of 2016, leaders of the Somalia regions of Puntland and Galmudug agreed to a ceasefire, stopping fighting that had displaced over 90,000 citizens. A ceasefire between the two warring states had been mediated by Dubai, and was supported by the President of Somalia, showing that peace was possible with cooperation. However, in just a week, the ceasefire promise was broken, and the groups attacked each other over a disputed border claim, leading to 20 dead, and others injured. In just a short week, the groups had either ignored or forgotten about the ceasefire, and went back to fighting, with neither side willing to back down. This is a problem because even an internationally brokered ceasefire was willing to be broken in such a short amount of time, and with very little warning, still showing how fragile the country of Somalia is.

2020 - Somalia Presidential Power Struggle*** In September 17, 2020, Somalia and other regions members agreed to an updated elections agreement, that included various changes to how the government would run. This would allow for a functioning government to stay, and would not cause issues with the Presidential Election on February 8th of 2021. However, as the and the semi-autonomous region of Puntland refused to sign the new agreement, an electoral impasse was reached, and no election could be held on February 8th. This meant that no new President could be elected, and would be issues about who would be running the country. Opposition leaders claimed that the current President, Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, could not be the president after February 8th, but he remained defiant to stay as per the agreed upon elections rules. Furthermore, the country was unable to hold elections, leading to a further crisis within the country. The problems with the interpretation of rules, and the absence of an election led to chaos and fighting in the streets, with heavy gunfire in the capital from various forces. This meant that international flights at the International Airport in Mogadishu were suspended, and most roads into the city were closed by the government for the safety of the country. Mass protests from the opposition leaders were called for, but were dispersed by the government, leading to more protests and attacks against the current President. It is a situation that is ongoing, and will not end until a solution is found, and an election is held. It should be noted that this is the largest, and most relevant that remains unsolved, and must be addressed for a resolution to be passed. Without control and a leader in Somalia, further chaos is inevitable, and all progress made in the past may be wiped away. 4. Stance of Key Member Nations and Other Bodies on the Issue The United States of America The United States has long remained involved with Somalia, and various Somalia-related conflicts, especially with its United Nations Operation in Somalia I & 2 (UNOSOM). The United States has good intentions in mind with their goals in Somalia and their goals are to “ promote political and economic stability, prevent the use of Somalia as a safe haven for international terrorism, and alleviate the humanitarian crisis caused by years of conflict, drought, flooding, and poor governance,” which are essentially all of the problems at the current moment in Somalia. Furthermore, they have been in the forefront recently to discourage and combat terror in the region, with its drone strikes. The United States and its Africa Command have “conducted 52 airstrikes in 2020, 63 in 2019, 47 in 2018, and 35 in 2017,” and its numbers have steadily increased throughout the years. Furthermore, they have worked with and government groups to provide aid, and have provided “$3 billion in humanitarian assistance for Somalia since [the] fiscal year [of] 2006.” The United States is closely involved with Somalian affairs, for reasons of terror and aid.

The United Nations Similar to the United States, the United Nations have long remained engaged with Somalia, since 1991, due to their need for aid and general instability. More recently, Somalia and the United Nations relationship is through UNSOM (UN Assistance Mission in Somalia) which was established by the UN Security Council Resolution 2102. The mandate of the assistance mission was renewed through Security Council Resolutions 2158, 2221, 2232, and 2275, further showing the continued cooperation between the two groups. A majority of UNSOM’s goals are to work towards reconciliation, and peacebuilding in the country, and the United Nations works in an advisory capacity. Furthermore, they have also worked together cooperatively through the use and deployment of peacekeepers. United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) 1 & 2 and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) are some of the largest examples of the United Nations working with other countries, and Somalia to stabilize the country. AMISOM, which is still active, has almost 20,000 troops in order to protect citizens, especially from al-Shabbab and terrorist attacks. However, they have begun to wind down operations in the region, and have pledged to cut thousands of troops from the force in the near future.

Ethiopia Ethiopia and Somalia have had a rocky but much improved relationship, most working towards the eradication of terrorism in Somalia. The two countries share a border and have had various conflicts and issues with each other due to their proximity. In the past, Ethopian supported militias and opposition groups were largely behind the dictator, Siad Barre’s demise, and many of the anti-government groups were based in Ethiopia such as the Somalia National Movement. This was since Somalia had attempted to take over Ethiopia and had gotten close, as they had taken over strategic cities such as Jijiga. They were only thwarted as Soviet Russia came to the aid of the then communist Regime, driving Somalia out of the country. As a result, this caused animosity between the two countries, leading to a rocky relationship. However, more recently, the Ethiopian government supported the Transitional federal government of Somalia and the United States in fighting extremists such as al-Shabaab and the Islamic Courts Union. Various peacekeeping forces such as AMISOM, as they have thousands of soldiers, as well as high ranking officials such as Lt. Gen. Tigabu Yilma Wondimhunegn, who was the force commander and led the group last in August 2020.

Al Shabaab Al-Shabaab are clearly against Somalia’s peacebuilding operations, and are actively hindering this, leading to the need of intervention. Al-Shabaab is the more radical wing and militia group of the Islamic Courts Union, which was not as violent, and even liked due to the stability they were able to produce. In the early stages of the civil war, they were somewhat powerful and had influence as they were able to drive the government out of the capital, leading the United States and organizations to aid the Somalian government. For the next few years, the group took strategic locations in Somalia, especially the rural areas, disrupting the country and the peace. However, with the help of Ethiopia, the US, and the United Nations, they were driven out of a majority of their areas, and have not been the same since. Since 2011, they have lost a majority of their territory and have had infighting within the group. The United States has launched numerous air strikes, that have killed their leader, bomb makers, and caches, leading to a majority of the urban areas lost for the group. Still, they are not afraid to innovate to attack the country, and recent attacks such as the 2021 hotel attack, leads to hundreds dead and a more unstable nation.

China China and Somalia have had a positive relationship over the years, especially through Chinese investment and bilateral cooperation between the two nations. China has been supportive of Somalia ever since the civil war with trade running through the two nations, even though they were considered unstable. Furthermore, starting from 2006, Chinese investment in the region through development projects such as debt relief increased diplomatic ties and solidified the country's relationship. In 2018, Somalia joined the Belt and Road Initiative to receive more aid as well as help China reach their goals for the project. Looking at the more diplomatic aspect of the relationship, the Chinese Embassy in Mogadishu was opened back in 2014, which was surprising considering that they only host 17 embassies in the country, with the only notable countries being the United States, and the United Kingdom. As a result, Somalia is a strong ally of China on the international stage because of their strong ties. They have defended China's treatment of Uyghurs and backed the Hong Kong Security Law, which are considered unpopular and immoral. Therefore, China should and will attempt to help Somalia when needed, especially when it comes to international cooperation.

Qatar Qatar and Somalia have had a long relationship spanning almost 50 years, and Qatar have recently attempted to improve such relations to influence the region. When Somalia’s president, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo, attempted to create a closer relationship, Qatar used such relationship in order to wage proxy wars against other powers in the region. Then, they influenced Somalia in order to install a Qatar loyalist into the National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) Furthermore, he removed key pillars of the agency and it became a central point for the Qatari intelligence operations. Furthermore, Qatar has created a relationship in which they provide weapons, soldiers, and training in exchange from power from Somalia. Qatar is in a power struggle with other Middle East countries such as the UAE, in order to gain power, and is an area in which delegates can look toward resolving. 5. Suggested Solutions Due to the volatile and wide ranging issues within the nation, there is plenty that delegates can look towards solving in the situation in Somalia. There are three broad categories of issues that are key to improving the situation in Somalia: improving life for citizens, security for the country, and long term domestic issues. Keep in mind that for all mentioned solutions, there should be an emphasis on continued international cooperation, especially with the continuing degradation of stability.

Improving General Life As mentioned above in the Chair Report, Internally Displaced People (IDP’s) as well as Gender Based Violence (GBV) is a large issue in Somalia. Potential solutions as outlined by Amnesty International include implementing better healthcare, creating better camps for displaced people, as well as increasing access to clean water. In many camps that the displaced people live in, there is an inadequate level of basic human resources such as sanitation, and drinking water. This means that the people must further suffer, whilst already being displaced. Looking at Gender Based Violence, the “National GBV strategy of 2018-2020” by ReliefWeb can be a beneficial resource for delegates to research solutions that are beneficial, but have not been fully implemented. Next, looking at the general country, there are currently 5.4 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Somalia, including more than 2.2 million who are suffering from food shortages and need immediate food assistance. The latter represents an increase of over 30% since early 2019, which is a clear trend that needs to be avoided. The only direct way to solve the problem is through aid and bilateral assistance straight from other MEDC’s (More Economically Developed Countries) or international organizations. However, there are ways to improve the general economic situation in Somalia through smart investments and cooperation. First, youth education and employment could be attempted to be bolstered as the rates are extremely low. The unemployment for youth is at “67% among all 14 to 29-year olds,” while only “42% of primary school age children in school.” Young people should be given the chance to learn and grow for a better economy in the future. Another important issue to look at is the general internet penetration within Somalia, which is at 2% of the entire population. (World Bank) This is clearly a problem because access to the internet is almost a necessity for a strong independent society, especially for a country like Somalia with its prevalent Clan and traditional value system.

Security for Country Another large issue within Somalia is the overwhelming prevalence of weapons and violence. As highlighted throughout the Chair Report, terrorism is rampant within the country, especially with Al-Shaabab. Many of the problems including child soldiers, IED deaths, and abductions are a direct result of the terror within the country, and delegates should work towards stifling their growth and influence. Further training national soldiers, improving facilities, as well as working to clear battlefields such as Mogadishu should be a top priority for delegates to solve. Another solution to potentially look at are securing public facilities such as schools and hospitals with hired guns or PMC’s (Private Military Companies) who provide assistance at a cost. Groups such as Bancroft, GardaWorld, and G4S were and still are prevalent as militaries for hire in Somalia, and can be utilized to provide protection for vulnerable areas such as near schools who have abducted students. Furthermore, should delegates decide not to use PMC’s, as delegates of the Security Council, they have the option to deploy peacekeepers. More specifically, the African Union Mission to Somalia is a specific peacekeeping force with a scope that can be expanded, as well as a mandate that expires in a few months. Delegates should look towards protecting the civilian population of Somalia through proactive, and concrete measures.

Long Term Domestic Issues The final areas of solutions to be found is in the issue of domestic issues that have existed due to the nature of the country. Delegates must find a way to balance the clan system and rivalries in order to effectively solve problems that include corruption, and the electoral gridlock. The clan system of Somalia should be looked at more carefully, and decisions must be made on the efficacy and necessity of the system. Furthermore, as mentioned before, corruption is an extremely large issue in the country, and the clan rivalry structure hinders much progress from occurring. Therefore, to ensure the stability of the nation, domestic issues must be resolved and addressed, and potentially overhauled to bring about change. 6. Bibliography Deutsche Welle. “Somalia's Clan System: Undermining Democracy?: DW: 09.02.2021.”

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