President Goodluck Jonathan in London for 'Somalia anti-terrorism meeting'

LONDON - Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan was one of the dignitaties invited to the Thursday meeting on Somali in London. Worrisome activities of the Islamic fundamentalist, Boko Haram across some states in the northern part of the country was said to have influenced President Goodluck Jonathan's participation in the just concluded International Conference on Somalia.

 

President Jonathan was on a two-day working visit to United Kingdom from Wednesday, 22nd February to Thursday 23rd February, 2012 and attended the conference which was put together by the British Government to find peace and stability to the war-torn African country.

According to a statement, Nigeria High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, said the president's participation was purely on a security point of view, especially when there are suspicions of links between the Boko Haram and Al-Shabab and similar terrorists organisations in the Maghreb-Sahelian region.

Jonathan was accompanied on this maiden visit to the UK as President by the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, the National Security Adviser, General Andrew Azazi and other top government officials.

The international meeting took place to seek to resolve the political crisis in Somalia. However,  the local media in this East African nation has been awash with scepticism, referring to the efforts as a new system of re-colonising the country.

The country has been without an effective government since 1991. The meeting, hosted by British Prime Minister David Cameron amid tight security, had representatives from global organsiations and over 50 governments, including  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Britain also invited representatives of Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG), as well as the presidents of the breakaway Somaliland, Puntland, and Galmudug, and the non-militant Islamist group Ahlu Sunnah Waljama'a (ASWJ).

But one of the country's most influential political leaders and future presidential candidate, Omar Abdirahman Mohamed has said that Britain wanted Somalia to have a "weak administration".

"The U.K. doesn't want Somalia to have its military reformed and it was the sole superpower that negated the lifting of the arms embargo on Somalia. This shows that the U.K. government is totally against the formation of a stable government and powerful military in Somalia," said Mohamed, who heads the Mogadishu-based Midnimo Political Party.

In 2008 U.K. law implemented various statutory instruments to enforce the arms embargo on Somalia. The embargo was first implemented on the country by the United Nations in 1992 after civil war broke out. It was partially lifted in 2007 to allow the importation of arms by the African Union Mission in Somalia.

"All Somalis are carefully watching the London conference and its outcome. Let the conference not be a conspiracy against the sovereignty of Somalia," Mohamed said.

An alleged "leaked" communiqué, apparently written for release after the talks, had been circulating here, fuelling speculation in this East African nation about the negative outcome of these talks.

One controversial point on the document, which is available online, refers to allegedly passing on the functions of government to a caretaker authority until the constitutional discussions are concluded. However, the point further explained that the country's constitution must be endorsed through a referendum or elected parliament.

The radio station Voice of the Peace said in its editorials that the U.K. was not looking for a lasting solution for Somalia.

Most newspapers including Kulmiye News and Xog-ogaal highlighted stories of locals who were concerned over Somalia becoming a colony once more.

One well-known elder, Ahmed Diriye, told local Radio Daljir earlier today that he did not believe that the London conference would have positive results for Somalia. "We know that Kenya (does not have a) powerful military and that was (because of the) U.K., and I am afraid that it wants Somalia to have only a police force," Diriye said.

The country's President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed denied this saying media reports were "rumours and baseless propaganda" intended to mislead the views of Somalis. Appearing on Channel 4 he said,  "There is no cause for concern over the sovereignty of the country. I can assure the Somali people that the London conference focused on the interest of Somalia and how the world community would help the country out of its long-existing hardships."

 

At the start of the conference, President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, leader of the transitional government, said Somalis wanted to shake off "horrendous memories of the past", but feared the gathering might be just another diplomatic talking shop.

World leaders have pledged to boost support for measures to fight piracy, terrorism and political instability in Somalia, after a meeting in London.

In a final communique, the 55 countries and organisations gathered in London said they would:

• back the handover of power from the transitional government to an inclusive administration by August
• provide more support for African Union peacekeepers
• better co-ordinate humanitarian aid, shifting focus to long-term needs
• crack down on piracy by expanding on agreements to bring suspects to trial in countries away from Somalia

Various sources