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The U S and Somalia

Jan 07, 2024, 6 min read

The U.S. and Somalia

Country Research

Conference Topic Research

UN System Research

Position Paper

  • A brief introduction to your country and its history concerning the topic and committee

    https://www.c-r.org/accord/somalia/endless-war-brief-history-somali-conflict

    https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/somalia#

  • How the issue affects your country

    Somalia achieved its independence in 1960 with the union of Somalia, which had been under Italian administration as a United Nations trust territory, and Somaliland, which had been a British protectorate. The United States immediately established diplomatic relations with the new country. In 1969, the Somali Army launched a coup which brought Mohamed Siad Barre to power. Barre adopted socialism and became allied with the Soviet Union. The United States was thus wary of Somalia in the period immediately after the coup.

    • Why did US help Somalia?

    The answer to that question, as is so often the case, starts with geography. Somalia’s northern coast borders the Gulf of Aden, which leads to Bab el-Mandeb, a narrow chokepoint through which all maritime traffic from the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean must pass. Avoiding this strait would take all goods from the Persian Gulf – including oil – around the entire African continent to reach European and American markets. It is also a valuable staging ground for navies to project power on to the Arabian Peninsula.

    https://geopoliticalfutures.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/somalia-chokepoints.jpg

    For this reason, Washington’s interest in Somalia remained steadfast even after the Cold War ended. After civil war erupted in 1991, the United States, in a testament to Somalia’s geostrategic importance, participated heavily in the U.N. peacekeeping mission there. (Washington would later reduce its involvement after sustaining casualties in 1993.) Among the groups fighting for power were Islamist groups, one of which, the Islamic Courts Union, actually controlled southern Somalia in the 2000s. An extremist wing of the Islamic Courts Union split from its parent group, donned the name al-Shabab, and continues to conduct terrorist attacks in the country. Al-Shabab also boasts ties with both al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Formally, Somalia now has a central government, but it cannot control formally or informally such an untamed and fractured country, to which al-Shabab is a big contributor.

    https://geopoliticalfutures.com/us-cares-somalia/

  • Your country’s policies with respect to the issue and your country justification for these policies

    • The goals for US policy in Somalia
      • Support for the building of democratic institutions and holding politicians accountable
      • Building effective Somali security forces
      • Implementation of stabilization and economic recovery programmed
      • Delivering humanitarian assistance across the whole of Somalia

  • Quotes from your country’s leaders about the issue

  • Statistics to back up your country’s position on the issue

  • Actions taken by your government with regard to the issue

    • The United States has provided more than $3 billion in humanitarian assistance for Somalia since fiscal year 2006 to address the problems of drought, famine, and refugees.
    • Since 2011, the United States has provided an additional $253 million in development assistance to support economic, political, and social sectors to achieve greater stability, establish a formal economy, obtain access to basic services, and attain representation through legitimate, credible governance.
    • The United States works closely with other donor partners and international organizations to support social services and the development of an effective and representative security sector, including military, police, and justice sector, while supporting ongoing African Union peacekeeping efforts.

  • Conventions and resolutions that your country has signed or ratified

  • UN actions that your country supported or opposed

    • The United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM): The United States sent food aid via Operation Provide Comfort starting in August 1992. Intense fighting between the warlords impeded the delivery of aid to those who needed it most, and so the United Nations contemplated stronger action. In December 1992, the United States began Operation Restore Hope. President George H.W. Bush authorized the dispatch of U.S. troops to Somalia to assist with famine relief as part of the larger United Nations effort.
    • The United Nations’ United Task Force (UNITAF): multinational forces leads by the U.S leadership whose objective to secure humanitarian operation. The UN Secretary-General wanted UNITAF to impose and disarm the faction, yet the U.S leader reluctance to enlarge this mission since they prefer only for humanitarian task
    • UNOSOM II: In support of the UNOSOM II mandate, United States forces — the United States Rangers and the Quick Reaction Force — were deployed in Mogadishu. These forces were not under United Nations command and control. As part of the coercive programme, the Rangers launched an operation in south Mogadishu on 3 October 1993, aimed at capturing a number of key aides of General Aidid who were suspected of complicity in the 5 June attack, as well as subsequent attacks on United Nations personnel and facilities.https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/past/unosom2backgr2.html
    • UNSOM
    • AMISOM

  • What your country believes should be done to address the issue

  • What your country would like to accomplish in the committee’s resolution

  • How the positions of other countries affect your country’s position

Opening Speech

More References

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