Extending UN arms ban hinders war on terror

A Somali senior official warned that a UN Security Council resolution earlier this month to extend an arms embargo on the country would prolong the survival of terrorist organizations in the Horn of Africa region.

The extension of arms embargo on Mogadishu would support the two terrorist organizations of al-Shabaab and
Daesh/ISIS in Somalia and “undermine the war against them [terrorists],” despite governmental and African efforts to defeat them, National Security Adviser Abdisaid Mohamed Ali told Anadolu Agency.

On Nov. 15, the UN Security Council passed a resolution extending more than a decade-long arms embargo on Somalia by one year, saying the move was aimed at preventing al-Shabaab from acquiring arms, chemicals and bomb-making components.
While Russia, China and Equatorial Guinea were against the extension of the arms embargo, Somalia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Abukar Osman has also criticized the arms embargo, telling local media that it is outdated and “falls short of taking into account Somalia’s positive new reality on the ground”.

“Everyday, the operations of al-Shabaab terrorist movement has been killing our heroes of the security forces, because of their [security forces’] lack of military capabilities,” said Ali.
The embargo, he added, “is not compatible with [the rights of] an internationally recognized state”.
“Since Somalia is a legitimate state, it has the right to import arms to strengthen the capabilities of its military forces to defend its people, security and borders, but unfortunately the Security Council resolution prevented that, which enables terrorists to continue in their activities, threatening the Horn of Africa,” he noted.

The extension of the embargo, he continued, not only affects the capabilities of the security forces, but also economically and socially depletes Somalia, posing additional burdens on the Somali society — which has been looking forward to restoring stability since the collapse of the central government in 1991″.

The Somali official added that there have been governmental efforts to convince the Security Council to lift the arms embargo to enable the government to perform its duty in defending its people and land.

He also referred to Arab and African demands to lift the embargo, including that of the Arab League, African Union, Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
“The Somali government will keep its efforts in cooperation with its friends in the international community in order to activate the file of lifting the embargo once again,” he added.