Dr_Osman Posted January 18, 2012 President Farole gets a powerful lobbyist in Washington The Indian Ocean Newsletter January 05, 2012 The President of the autonomous administration of Puntland (north-eastern Somalia) Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud known as Farole, has hired a new American lobbyist on security and anti-piracy issues. In a letter dated 21 November 2011, he authorised Stephen Heifetz, a partner in the firm Steptoe & Johnson LLP, to represent Puntland in Washington on both subjects. Heifetz`s work should in particular be to find funding to create a Puntland Maritime Police Force. In a document dated 7 November, Heifetz promised Farole that he would carry out this lobby activity “at no cost to you” inasmuch as it did not interfere with the interests of his paying customers. The latter include the firm Sterling Corporate Services (SCS) that he advises “regarding counter-piracy issues”. If SCS interests ever come into conflict with those of Puntland, Heifetz would stop representing the latter. This would appear to suggest that SCS may be interested in Farole`s counter-piracy projects. In any case, Heifetz will provide Puntland with a powerful ally in Washington. Formerly with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (1996-98), he subsequently worked for the Department of Justice (1998-2000), before joining the private firm WilmerHale (2000-2005), where he specialised in anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regulations. He then joined the Department of Homeland Security (February 2006 to March 2010) as Deputy Assistant Secretary in charge of Policy Development. There, he was in charge of air and maritime cargo screening, aviation and transportation security, visa screening. He is also a member of the think tank Council on Foreign Relations. Heifetz is not President Farole`s first lobbyist in the United States. In 2009, Farole hired Duane Morris to try to obtain American funding for Puntland. And last year, he took on the services of The Moffett Group, owned by the former Democratic congressman Toby Moffett, to try to persuade ConocoPhillips, which had abandoned oil exploration in Somalia in 1991, to resume operations in Puntland. Somaliland lobbyists in the United Kingdom The Indian Ocean Newsletter December 10, 2011 A group of British supporters of the Hargeisa government has banded together to found the Somaliland Development Corporation (SDC). The main initiators of this company, whose goal is to help finance projects in Somaliland, are the former head of the law firm Clifford Chance, Jeremy Carver, the head of EnexEnergy Resources, Len Tiahlo and the former diplomat Myles Wickstead former Secretary of the Commission for Africa now a teacher at The Open University. They are supported in this project by Steve Taylor director of Crown Agents and by Paul Whiteway, of Independent Diplomats, a consulting firm that has already done work for Somaliland. No red carpet for Silanyo The Indian Ocean Newsletter December 10, 2011 At least two sensitive subjects were discussed during the meeting on November 27, between Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh and his counterpart from Somaliland. The President of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamed Mahamoud known as Silanyo, and his Djibouti counterpart Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (IOG) agreed to disagree on two points at the outcome of their meeting, held on 27 November during Silanyo`s visit to Djibouti. According to a source close to Silanyo, IOG had strongly suggested that he should attend the future conferences on the reconciliation of Somalia and accept their conclusions whatever they be. IOG also asked Silanyo to order the officials in his government to henceforth use a Somalian passport for travel to Djibouti, because the Somaliland passport accepted up to now is not recognised by the international community. President Silanyo was shaken by IOG`s warning shots, but did not sway. He said that he would accept to participate in the Somalia reconciliation talks but refused to endorse the results of these talks in advance. Secondly, he declared that he was surprised by IOG`s backtracking on Somaliland passports, which Djibouti had recognized up to then. However, as soon as he was back in Hargeisa, President Silanyo informed in writing the head of immigration, Mohamed Osman Alin, that the Djibouti government would no longer accept Somaliland passports. Discord with Ethiopian Consul The Indian Ocean Newsletter November 26, 2011 Last week a Somaliland minister passed on his remonstrations to General Berhe Tesfaye, the Ethiopian Consul in Hargeisa. Tesfaye did not like what he heard! While President Ahmed Mohamed Mahamoud known as Silanyo was on vacation in the United Kingdom, the Minister to the Presidency, Hersi Ali Haji Hassan, visited the Ethiopian Consul, General Berhe Tesfay, on 19 November. According to a source close to those present at the meeting, he complained, somewhat undiplomatically, about the actions by Ethiopian troops who entered Somaliland without authorisation. Hersi asked the Consul to inform the authorities in Addis Ababa of his displeasure on this point. He also complained of what he called “the expansion of Ethiopian culture into Somaliland”. Hersi, who is deeply religious, was referring to the large increase in the number of snack bars run by Ethiopians that sell alcoholic drinks and housing prostitution. Berhe Tesfaye, whose features could be seen to tense with anger, did not respond to this criticism. He left on 21 November to refer the matter to the authorities in Addis Ababa. 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Dr_Osman Posted January 18, 2012 A watchtower over the Gulf of Aden The Indian Ocean Newsletter December 10, 2011 Over the years, President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh (IOG) has taken the maximum advantage of his country`s geo-strategic position, as far as making it a key element in the international fight against terrorism in the Horn of Africa and beyond. The chaotic situation in neighbouring Yemen and the expansion of Somalian piracy accentuate still further the interest in using this country as a viewpoint over the Gulf of Aden; it is already home to French, American and - something unique - even Japanese military bases. This background explains the benevolence of Paris, Washington and Tokyo towards a regime that is a long way from respecting its citizen`s human rights. Here is a spotlight of this Western stronghold in the Horn of Africa. Who will sign the agreement - After months of tough negotiations, the new defence agreement between Djibouti and France seemed, in early December, ready for signature. The visit to Djibouti last week of General Benoît Puga, Personal Chief of Staff to President Nicolas Sarkozy, had smoothed over the remaining obstacles. He was carrying a letter from the French President setting out the terms of the agreement. On 30 November he presented President IOG with counter-proposals after Paris had rejected the request to train Djibouti officers at the prestigious St Cyr and Saint Maixent military academies (ION 1319). The senior Djiboutian officials would then draft a final document on this basis. However, the agreement is unlikely to be signed this year by the two Heads of State in view of their diary obligations. Particularly as a final twist this week will delay it still further: Djibouti introduced new requirements for logistics and military training. It also wants the defence agreement to be signed with the French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alain Juppé, while the French military would prefer it to be with the Defence Minister Gérard Longuet. An anti-piracy hub - Djibouti has become an important rear-base of private security companies that provide protection for ships in the Gulf of Aden against attacks by Somalian pirates. From one month to another, between 8 and 15 of these companies operate from Djibouti, after approval from Djibouti Maritime Security Services (DMSS), chaired by the Frenchman Bruno Pardigon, responsible for overseeing the activity of these firms (ION 1259) for the President of Djibouti. Approvals are also given by Djibouti (between three and ten a month) to vessels of these companies established in the international shipping zone to provide services of all kinds (rest cabins, rental and storage of arms) to the agents of security firms. According to Intelligence Online (published by Indigo publications), one of the boats registered in Djibouti is the Marshall 5 owned by the firm Naval Guards, which sails on the 15° North parallel. But the most active ship in this area is the Sea Lion owned by the British company Drum Cussac situated at 17.30° North. Another British company, Protection Vessels International, whose boat is situated at 18° North, only transits via Djibouti for bunkering. Other similar vessels are the Sinbad, Express Opportune, Judge and the Maagen, the latter owned by a Russian maritime security firm. Another vessel, Sri Lankan this time, is based off Port Sudan and is chartered by Ocean Base Support which is believed to be a joint venture between the Frenchman Eric Stachura and the Irishman Dennis Dennehy, both formerly with Shied Consulting. IOG wants to keep control of Somalia - President IOG, who has acted as sponsor to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) headed by Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, shares the latter`s concerns about the recent Kenyan military incursion into southern Somalia. Both would like the Kenyan troops limit their action to creating a buffer zone without directly attacking Kismayo and they become incorporated in the AfricanUnion Mission in Somalia (Amisom) which 800 Djibouti soldiers are soon to join. To regain control of the Somalian issue, which is escaping him through regionalizing, IOG would like to build bridges between the TFG and the autonomous administrations of Somaliland and Puntland. With this in mind, he put pressure on the President of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamed Mahamoud known as Silanyo, in late November in Djibouti (see p.3), apparently, without any immediate result. In fact, Djibouti is an excellent vantage point, but not really a regional power. New Afar Sultan has already rubbed up Meles Zenawi The Indian Ocean Newsletter November 16, 2011 Anything that touches on the Afar community that straddles Ethiopia, Eritrea and Djibouti, immediately has a regional connotation. A case in point was the ceremony in the town of Asaita, Ethiopia on 10 November to consecrate the new Sultan of Awassa covering the Ethiopian Afars, Hanfareh Ali Mirah, son of the late Sultan Ali Mirah who died in April. The long list of guests proves it: the Djibouti Prime Minister Dileita Mohamed Dileita, accompanied with nine members of his government; a large contingent of Afars from Djibouti; the Ethiopian Minister of Culture Amin Abdoulkader, who brought a message from Prime Minister Meles Zenawi; the French Ambassador to Addis Ababa Jean-Christophe Bélliard and his counterpart representing Egypt, Mohamed Idris, as well as representatives of the European Union. There was even a large military-looking discreet American who had come from Djibouti! The choice of Hanfareh Ali Mirah as the new Sultan of Awassa had the support of Meles Zenawi, preferring him to his younger brother Habib Ali Mirah even though the latter is less confrontational and is the manager of the Sultanate`s fertile lands in agreement with the Ethiopian authorities of the Afar Regional State. True to his reputation of not mincing his words, Hanfareh Ali Mirah made a strong speech at his consecration in which he lambasted the policies of the Ethiopian regional authorities, who, according to him, neglect social policy while also being economic predators. He was referring to a vast programme to irrigate 100,000 hectares from the River Awash to grow sugar cane to be used for ethanol production. This grabbing of natural resources is a major danger for Afar nomads and the new Sultan reminded his audience that their ancestors “have died and have killed for these lands”. The President of the Afar Regional State, Ismail Ali Siro, looked particularly ill at ease while listening to this speech. And he was right: just two days later on 12 November Meles Zenawi telephoned him to complain, in very strong terms, of the way this ceremony had been held. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Somalia Posted January 18, 2012 Dr_Osman;776101 wrote: Heifetz is not President Farole`s first lobbyist in the United States. In 2009, Farole hired Duane Morris to try to obtain American funding for Puntland. And last year, he took on the services of The Moffett Group, owned by the former Democratic congressman Toby Moffett, to try to persuade ConocoPhillips, which had abandoned oil exploration in Somalia in 1991, to resume operations in Puntland. :cool: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GaadhHaye Posted January 18, 2012 While President Ahmed Mohamed Mahamoud known as Silanyo was on vacation in the United Kingdom, the Minister to the Presidency, Hersi Ali Haji Hassan, visited the Ethiopian Consul, General Berhe Tesfay, on 19 November. According to a source close to those present at the meeting, he complained, somewhat undiplomatically, about the actions by Ethiopian troops who entered Somaliland without authorisation. Hersi asked the Consul to inform the authorities in Addis Ababa of his displeasure on this point. He also complained of what he called “the expansion of Ethiopian culture into Somaliland”. Hersi, who is deeply religious, was referring to the large increase in the number of snack bars run by Ethiopians that sell alcoholic drinks and housing prostitution . Berhe Tesfaye, whose features could be seen to tense with anger, did not respond to this criticism. He left on 21 November to refer the matter to the authorities in Addis Ababa :( Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
