Carrying the hope of a nation with haunted heart

The Kenya Times
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Ambassador Abdikarin Farah Photo/Gedion Gitau

Somalia may have witnessed some of the worst forms of destruction to property and loss of human life during 17 years of civil strife, but the Horn of Africa nation still boasts of a breed of dashing leaders who have risen beyond the rubble to recreate her image in the international arena.

 Although proper leadership is still lacking at home more than four years after the establishment of the Transitional Federal Government of the Republic of Somalia (TFG), Ambassador Abdikarin Farah has been in the forefront championing for the interests of the war-torn country in Ethiopia and the African Union (AU).

 When Farah was appointed in 2005 to represent Somalia in Ethiopia and AU, the country had no recognition there but only three and a half years down the line, the diplomat has created an embassy in the neighbouring state, which was non-existent and ensured his country earned membership among other African states under the umbrella of AU.

 Somalia was a member of the defunct Organisation of African Unity (OAU) but when its successor, AU, came into force in 1999 the country had already descended into civil strife soon after tribal rebels toppled the late strongman Mohammed Siad Bare in 1990. With little financial support from the TFG Farah managed to use his vast experience in internal relations to set up an embassy in Addis Ababa within a year sparking wild celebrations in the Ethiopian capital city as the Somalia flag was officially hosted there for the first time in 18 years.

 Amb Farah’s efforts to create good relations between Somalia and Ethiopia culminated in the signing of a bilateral agreement between the states in November 2005. The two countries were the only neighbours in the world without a bilateral agreement. The agreement saw an Ethiopian minister set foot in Somalia for the first time following the collapse of a central government in the volatile country.

 “Somalia was very scary to foreigners and it was a sacrifice by the Ethiopian government to send an official there,” says the diplomat who believes that lasting peace for Somalia will translate into peace for the whole region. But as the relationship between the two countries was beginning to flourish, Ambassador Farah’s efforts received a major jolt from the clan set-up Islamic Union of Courts (IUC) in 2006 after the insurgents issued Ethiopia with an ultimatum to pull out her troops from Somalia.

The troops were helping the TFG forces with capacity building and the threats saw renewed hostilities between the two countries. But in a bid to save its sovereignty and recoup its relations with Ethiopia, the TFG government passed a Bill in Parliament for security assistance from the international community under the National Stabilization Plan in 2006. The law allows the international community, including Ethiopia, to send peace keeping troops to Somalia.

 Although the two countries enjoy good relations, the balance of the benefits is not in favour of Somalia where the TFG leadership is still weak and lacks a vibrant civil society and stable state agencies that can spearhead the development agenda. At the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Somalia had never hoisted her flag and owed the organisation a staggering US$ 8 million in lieu of contributions.

The situation denied Somalia a voice among other member states and it took Farah’s vast diplomatic skills to negotiate for his country’s recognition. Described as a stable voice of reason on issues of Somalia at the AU by Kenyan ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Franklin Esipila, Farah successfully pushed for landmark decisions on Somalia at the AU due to his persistence, resilience and sheer determination. “It was due to his oration at the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) and the AU Peace and Security Council that these historic decisions on Somalia were made,” says Amb Esipila of the decision by the AU to write off Somalia’s debts, the first time in history that the organisation has made the waiver for a member state.

Source: The Keny Times, July 29. 2008