‘Leave our country’: Somalis roast UN envoy for calling regional administrators ‘presidents’

By The Star Staff Writer

MOGADISHU – It’s a curious case of a diplomat acting undiplomatically and committing a gaffe that angered many Somalis who’re concerned about their country’s political health and territorial integrity.

In a Twitter message complete with the pictures of the nation’s five administrators, Michael Keating, the UN envoy to Somalia, wrote from his verified account — @SRSGKeating – “Pleased to meet all 5 federal state presidents in Kismayo (before) their meeting on inter-state cooperation begins tomorrow.”

Keating was referring to a meeting that started on Tuesday in the coastal city of Kismayo, which brought together Somali politicians who’re in charge of five regions.

Perhaps to give the meeting a UN seal of approval, Keating attended the opening session, knowing too well that the Mogadishu administration had given the gathering a wide berth and that his presence would be construed as a challenge to President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo and Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire

The Mogadishu-based federal government was – and still is — against the regional bloc called the Council of Inter-State Cooperation, or CIC, which was established in Oct. 9, 2017, because it considers it as a grouping that cast in its lot with foreign countries that are wont to bankroll rogue politicians in the country. Somalia’s state-run media didn’t cover the Kismayo meeting, although the event was the biggest news item happening in the country.

What irritated Somalis, including academics, seems to have been Keating’s characterization of self-seeking politicians, who don’t even control the cities that host their headquarters, as presidents.

“Keating’s undiplomatic statement represents a UK policy rather than a UN one,” said Abdiwahab Sheikh Abdisamad, a Nairobi, Kenya-based analyst with the Southlink Consultants.

“The guy’s term is already up and he’s likely to go back to his country and work at the UK’s Foreign Office, so his words should be interpreted in that context,” said Abdisamad. “They’re indicative of what the UK government likes to see in Somalia: A divided nation with a weak federal government in Mogadishu.

“It’s unfortunate that the UK, which many thought it knew Somalis better than other countries, is basing its policies on misguided assumptions that Somalia is a divided nation and that Somalis accepted this division as a reality. In fact, the UK seems to know very little about Somalis’ psyche, even though it colonized parties of Somalia.”

Many Somalis see the UK as the source of Somalia’s problems. In the 19^th century, London handed over Somali regions to Ethiopia and Kenya, areas which are still under the occupation of the two countries.

Keating, who is expected to leave office in November, is the second British envoy to have fallen out of favor with Somalis. His predecessor, Nicholas Kay, was one of the most-hated foreign envoys in the country, and many Somali nationalists believed that he’s the one who had laid the foundation for the current state of affairs in which regional administrators publicly defy the national government in Mogadishu.

In response to Keating’s tweet, a Twitter user, Guricel‏@MGuricel, retorted: “@SRSGKeating Somalia is bigger than these 5 and you are using your UN job to destabilize the country more @SRSGKeating you are the problem here.”

Another, Dalmar @SaedDalmar, wrote: “They should all be in prison for corruption including you Michael Keating for Empowering them to be corrupted Leaders. You failed your mandate and leave our country, one day they will pay the price for the looting & you disgraced your position and the dignity of that office.”

Dalmar identifies himself as “Anti-corruption Advocate” whose wish is to see “better Somalia away from foreign intervention, Looting Somalian resource, Fishing illegally Dumping toxic waste dividing the country.”

The angry reaction by Somalis underlines the stark difference between what foreign agents and countries, including the UN and aid agencies and Western countries, want and the country ordinary Somalis, who’re sick and tired of foreign bullying and interference, aspire to have.

Federalism, which is mainly pushed and financed by foreign countries, is still an undecided question in Somalia, as the provisional charter that proposed the system is yet to be subjected to a referendum to either toss it out or validate it.

Also, the chiefs of the regions — Abdiwali Mohamed Ali Gaas of Puntland, Mohamed Abdi Waare of Hirshabelle, Ahmed Mohamed Islam of Jubaland, Ahmed Dua’ale Gelle of Galmudug and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden of SouthWest  — have used the federal system as a tool to feather their own nests. Corruption and mismanagement are rife in all the five regional blocs.

The UN envoy — a former associate director at Chatham House in London, the UK’s leading think tank on international affairs — wrote that the meeting of regional administrators was an “Opportunity to review progress over last years & current political & security priorities. Emphasized importance of national unity.”

It’s unclear why Keating opted to plunge himself deep into the squabble between the national government and regional administrations.

A Twitter user called Warriors‏@DplusAA wrote in his response to the envoy’s tweet: “@SRSGKeatingClearly @SRSGKeating is the biggest obstacle of peace in #Somalia @UN take this trouble maker out of my country.”

The Somali anger seems to be a part of a bigger aversion to UN and foreign envoys assigned to Somalia.

Last month, a former minister, Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, argued that the existence of the envoy post in Somalia means that the Horn of Africa nation is still in transition contrary to the assertion made by Somali officials that the transitional period in the country ended in 2012, when Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was elected President.

The African Union, the UN and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, or IGAD, all have special envoys for Somalia.

Dr. Abdirizak Hassan, a Twitter user,‏ reminded Keating that his work as the UN envoy to Somalia, “entails that you support the federal government.”

“@SRSGKeating@SRSGKeating . sincerely speaking, what is your role in Somalia other than sowing the seeds of destruction and chaos? . which federal state do you represent? “ he asked.

Another rejoinder came from Rooble Melvin‏@roblemel who wrote: “@SRSGKeatingThere are not President they are regional governors not presidents. Michael Keating you are part of the problem in Somalia you have to know that. Your country foreign policy towards Somalia was always against the interest of Somalia.”

A Twitter user who opted to call himself or herself as the country’s, religion’s and people’s interest asked if Keating’s aim was to create “the next headache” for the national government “before heading home” when he endorsed rogue politicians.

The Twitter user added: “Many of us don’t really understand why we still need a UN rep. in Somalia despite ALL the improvements we have seen the past 2 years!”

Samsam Ali also suspected that the envoy was perhaps trying to engineer a scheme to stay in the country after his term ends next month.

She wrote: “@SRSGKeating Micheal Keating we know what you are doing in Kismayo together with these spoilers your contract is ending next month hit the road & don’t come back.We do not want to see your face again Losers………”

Of the dozens of tweeps who reacted to the envoy’s tweet, there was no single response in support of him, showing the depth of the latent anger against foreign intereferences in the country.

“Somalis know what they want. They want a strong national government that restores their dignity,” said Abdisamad, the analyst. “But foreigners always misread the nation’s mood. The question is who will eventually win? To me, Somalis will win, and history attests to my assertion.”