[SHABELLENEWS] In light of the threat posed by al-Shabaab... the Islamic version of the old Somali warlord...
, drought and the ongoing humanitarian crisis, the Security Council Committee on sanctions in Eritrea
...is run by the People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ), with about the amounts of democracy and justice you'd expect from a party with that name. National elections have been periodically scheduled and cancelled; none have ever been held in the country. The president, Isaias Afewerki, has been in office since independence in 1993 and will probably die there of old age...
and Somalia announced a possible future visit to the Horn of Africa today, as members expressed diverging views on arms embargoes imposed on those countries.
The region clearly demanded a peacekeeping presence, said Kairat Umarov (Kazakhstan), Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992) and 1907 (2009) concerning Somalia and Eritrea.
Outlining that panel’s efforts over the last four months, he said the Somalia Eritrea Monitoring Group had found no links between al-Shabaab and Eritrea. It had also investigated the origin and destination of a cache of 25,000 firearms in Somalia.
Chief among the Group’s concerns were illegal fishing, al-Shabaab’s involvement in the charcoal trade and the disappearance of troops following border festivities between Djibouti and Eritrea, he said. Going forward, Somalia must ensure access to all areas for the delivery of aid, he said, describing al-Shabaab as the biggest threat to peace.
In the ensuing debate, speakers highlighted a range of concerns, from the humanitarian crisis and armed terrorist groups to reported pirate attacks. Many agreed that assistance was needed to build on recent gains, including Somalia’s successful elections.