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上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 Somali Introduction--------------------------------------------------2 Geography---------------------------------------------------2 Agriculture---------------------------------------------------3 Economy------------------------------------------------------4 Somali Pirates----------------------------------------------4 2011 East Africa drought--------------------------------7 Introduction 上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 Nowadays, Somalia is suffering the most disastrous drought of the past 60 years w hen the problem of piracy has not been solved completely. What can countries do t o bail out Somalia which is in hunger, disease and instability? Geography Somalia is located on the Horn of Africa in Eastern Africa, and covers an area of 638,000 km2. The country s borders are on the Gulf of Aden to the north, Djibouti and Ethiopia to the north-west, Kenya to the south-west and the Indian Ocean to the east. It has a population of about 10.4 million that is growing at an average annual rate of 3.2 per cent. Its coastline stretches for over 3,000 km along the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Somalia's climate is semi-arid, with two main rainy seasons and irregular rainfall between monsoons. The terrain is mainly flat coastal plain that rises to a high plateau, with hills to the north. The country is subject to recurring droughts and to floods during the rainy seasons. Somalia was created in 1960 from a former British protectorate and an Italian colony. Islam is the dominant religion. The political, social and commercial life of the country is dominated by the clan system. After several decades of relative stability, Somalia s president Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991. Since then the country has been without an effective central government, in a state of protracted civil war fought between rival warlords. The country has been divided into various areas of influence under clan-based rule. This highly unstable situation has favoured widespread lawlessness. New political entities have formed in several parts of the country, but have remained too weak to unite the country. The north-western part of Somalia was the first region to declare its independence as Somaliland, and it is the only part of the territory to have enjoyed relative stability since the early 1990s. The north-eastern region of Puntland has also become autonomous. The remaining southern portion of the country is the scene of continuing armed struggles between rival factions. Islamic militias controlled parts of the country during the second half of 2006, but were defeated by government forces backed by Ethiopian troops. 上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 There are many root causes of the present conflict, from struggles between clans to the legacy of poor governance structures, competition for resources and related clashes between pastoralists and agriculturists, as well as ease of access to arms. Agriculture Livestock production is the mainstay of the Somali economy, providing the chief source of food and foreign exchange earnings. The major crops are sorghum and maize, and some beans, rice and sesame. Most agricultural and livestock production is in the hands of smallholders. Pastoralists herd their animals throughout the rural areas of Somalia but are found mainly in the arid lands of northern and central Somalia and along the Ethiopian and Kenyan borders. Commercial agriculture is concentrated in the southern regions, especially in the areas adjacent to the Juba and Shabelle rivers. Since 2000 agricultural production has fluctuated and often declined, as a result of drought and low rainfall in most areas of the country. Poor soils and unreliable rainfall make average yields for rainfed crops among the lowest in Africa. The conflict and current unstable situation have damaged agricultural productivity. Many farmers have either lost productive assets such as livestock and irrigation equipment, or have been displaced from their land. Production of bananas, once Somalia's second largest export after livestock, has been held back by the civil war and intermittent armed clashes for control of this lucrative export business. Despite the length of the country's coasts, Somalis are not traditionally a fish-eating people. Somalia has one of the lowest fish consumption rates in the world. The government strongly promoted the fisheries sector in the 1970s, and fish exports increased dramatically as a result. The present lack of regulation is putting these resources at risk, and illegal fishing is becoming a widespread problem. Many areas are over-fished and there is an urgent need for controls. Hundreds of fishing vessels from other nations are fishing illegally off the coast of Somalia, most of them operating without any licensing agreement. 上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 Economy Despite Somalia s prolonged instability, economic activity continues where possible, especially where it is localized and therefore relatively protected. Agriculture is the economy's most important sector, and livestock normally accounts for about 40 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) and about 65 per cent of export earnings. The economy relies chiefly on the export of live animals, principally to Saudi Arabia, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates. Other major exports are hides, fish, charcoal and bananas. Intermittent livestock bans imposed by Saudi Arabia since 1998 as a result of disease concerns have severely hampered the sector. Somalia's important natural resources include marine resources such as fish and salt, forests and forest products such as frankincense and myrrh, rocks and minerals and fossil fuels. The small manufacturing sector is based on the processing of agricultural products. Remittances are a major contribution to the economy. They have helped support various private sector activities, which have begun to flourish in recent years, and have helped generate employment. According to estimates, about US$800 million is sent back to the country in the form of remittances every year. Remittances benefit the urban population most directly but also trickle down to rural areas. The current conflict and lack of a rule of law is a major hindrance to trade and investment. At the same time there have been some benefits from the lack of a functioning centralized authority. The national economy now runs almost exclusively on private initiative. The telecommunications, electricity, banking, transport, marketing and to some extent water sectors are all privately organized and quite efficient. Somali Pirates The Current Status of Somali Piracy According to a recent BBC report, Somali pirates seized a record 1,181 hostages in 2010, and were paid many millions of dollars in ransom. 上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 In the fall of 2011, more than 300 hundred people were being held hostage by various pirate groups based in Somalia. The International Maritime Bureau (IMB) considers the Somali coast to be the most dangerous stretch of water in the world. At any given time pirates are holding at least a dozen ships hostage including the occasional oil supertanker for which they can demand up to $25 million in ransom. A typical piracy attempt reads like this: 11.04.2009: 1240 UTC: Posn: 00:18.2N - 051:44.3E, About 285 nm east of Mogadishu, Somalia. Eight pirates armed with guns and RPG in two skiffs, launched by a pirate mother vessel, attacked a container ship underway. Master increased speed to 22.8 knots and the skiffs followed at 23.5 knots. They approach very close and fired upon the ship. Master made evasive manoeuvers and prevented the boarding. These live piracy reports come in several times a day. Where do Somali Pirates Operate? Somalia has a huge coastline (see map), wrapped around the Horn of Africa. In 2008 many pirate attacks were launched in the narrow channel known as the The Gulf of Aden. In response to these attacks and the economic effect they were having on this popular shipping channel, a fleet of international warships are now on daily patrol. Pirates are now known to be using "mother ships" so they can launch attacks further out at sea. Have a look at this international piracy map for a graphic overview of all the latest piracy attempts. Who are These Pirates? Somali pirates don't wear eye patches, and instead of swords they have RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades). They use small, fast speedboats to get around and work in crews of 10 or so. Once they find a good target, they launch hooks and rope ladders up to board the ship and overwhelm the crew. They often attack at night. In 2008, 40 ships were successfully captured and ransoms were paid ranging from $500,000 to $2 million. In 2010, 49 ships were hijacked off the coast of Somalia (out of a total of 53 worldwide). Successful pirates live well, they marry beautiful women, drive big cars, build big houses, and buy increasingly sophisticated weapons. Somali pirates are lending money to businessmen and basically running the economy of the autonomous region of Puntland. Just feeding and housing the hijacked crews helps sustain the economy in Puntland. A BBC report filed in September 2008 talks about life in a Somali pirate town: "Eyl has become a town tailor-made for pirates - and their hostages. Special restaurants have even been set up to prepare food for the crews of the hijacked 上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 ships. As the pirates want ransom payments, they try to look after their hostages." Are they Sea Bandits or Coastguards? In a recent report, BBC Somalia analyst Mohamed Mohamed says pirates are a combination of ex-fisherman, ex-militia, and computer geeks. There's no use hijacking a huge ship if you don't know how the radio works and therefore can't demand your ransom. Pirates also have to know how to use GPS. Somali pirates don't see themselves as the bad guys. A pirate interviewed by the New York Times said: "We don't consider ourselves sea bandits. We consider sea bandits those who illegally fish in our seas and dump waste in our seas and carry weapons in our seas. We are simply patrolling our seas. Think of us like a coast guard." The article continues -- "Somalia's central government imploded in 1991, casting the country into chaos. With no patrols along the shoreline, Somalia's tuna-rich waters were soon plundered by commercial fishing fleets from around the world. Somali fishermen armed themselves and turned into vigilantes by confronting illegal fishing boats and demanding that they pay a tax". Also, check out this video by rap artist K'Naan for a very articulate Somali opinion about piracy. Why Doesn't Somalia's Government Act? Somalia doesn't take action against these pirates, nor can they register complaints from ships that are attacked, since it has a barely functioning government. A few years ago, there was no government at all. The current Somali government would like to help but in reality, they're not even in complete control of the capital Mogadishu, let alone a region like Puntland. Any Hope of Stopping the Pirates? In response to an upsurge of attacks in the Gulf of Aden in late 2008, international forces have been patrolling the area. It seemed to work in 2009, with hijackings down to around 41 for the first 4 months of the year. However in 2010 a reported 1,181 hostages were seized by pirates with millions of dollars paid in ransom as a result. For ships further out at sea, it's up to the captains to try and out maneuver these pirates in speedboats, hose them down with fire houses, and even fire back. Insurance premiums on ships in this area are running at an all-time high. And there are still lots of pesky international laws that don't allow any navy ships to just come in and shoot at a non-military vessel. The area where most of pirates operate is about four times the size of Texas, so logistically it's difficult to ensure a safe passage for every ship in these waters. There's also the issue of the crew and keeping them safe. It's difficult to shoot at the pirates without harming the captured crew. The Indian army shot at what they thought was a pirate vessel in November 2008, it turned out to belong to the Thais and several crew members were injured in the attack. See the whole story. A Stable Somalia is the Long-Term Solution A safer and more stable Somalia is the real solution and would make much of this go away. Getting an effective government in place should be the first step. 上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 2011 East Africa drought Introduction Since mid-July 2011, a severe drought has been affecting the entire East Africa region. Said to be "the worst in 60 years",the drought has caused a severe food crisis across Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya that threatens the livelihood of more than 13.3 million people. Many refugees from southern Somalia have fled to neighboring Kenya and Ethiopia, where crowded, unsanitary conditions together with severe malnutrition have led to a large number of deaths. Other countries in and around the Horn of Africa, including Djibouti, Sudan, South Sudan and parts of Uganda, are also affected by a food crisis. Humanitarian situation On 20 July, a famine was declared in Lower Shabelle and Bakool, two regions of southern Somalia. On 3 August, famine was further declared in the Balcad and Cadale districts in Middle Shabelle, and the IDP settlements in Mogadishu and Afgooye. According to the UN, famine will spread to all eight regions of southern Somalia in four to six weeks due to inadequate humanitarian response, caused both by ongoing access restrictions and funding gaps. The Economist reports that widespread famine may soon occur across the entire Horn of Africa, "a situation...not seen for 25 years". Refugee crisis As of 15 September, more than 920,000 refugees from Somalia have fled to neighboring countries, in particular Kenya and Ethiopia. The UNHCR base in Dadaab, Kenya currently hosts at least 440,000 people in three refugee camps. The maximum capacity of the Dadaab camps is 90,000. More than 1,500 refugees continue to arrive every day from southern Somalia, 80 per cent of them women and children. UN High Commissioner for Refugees spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said that many people have died en route. Within the camps, infant mortality has risen threefold in 上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 the last few months. The overall mortality rate is 7.4 out of 10,000 per day, which is more than seven times as high as the "emergency" rate of 1 out of 10,000 per day. There is an upsurge in sexual violence against women and girls, with the number of cases reported increasing by over 4 times. Incidents of sexual violence occur primarily during travel to the refugee camps, with some cases reported in the camps themselves or as new refugees go in search for firewood. This has put them at high risk of HIV/AIDS. Security The head of United States Agency for International Development, Rajiv Shah stated that the drought may worsen the security situation in the region. "This is happening precisely in a part of the world that our Defense Secretary Leon Panetta just said is a critical part of our fight against terrorism and our overall international security. It just underscores the deep link between food security and national security." Armed herders are violently competing for dwindling resources. In Kenya alone more than 100 herders have been killed. International response Humanitarian agencies have requested US$2.48 billion to address the crisis, but as of August 1 have secured less than half that amount. The European Union announced it would provide €5.67 million to help millions of people in the Horn of Africa affected by the drought. On 16 July, the UK government pledged £52.25 million, on top of £38 million pledged earlier that month and more than £13 million raised by the Disasters Emergency Committee. As of 25 August, the amount raised by the Disasters Emergency Committee had increased to £57 million. As of October 5th, the Canadian government and people also contributed about $142 million CAD to the relief efforts in Eastern Africa, with the Canadian government pledging an additional $70 million CAD in matching funds. External links European Union Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta 上海对外贸易学院模拟联合国大赛 Shanghai Institute of Foreign Trade Model United Nations Conference 2011 Alexandre Maouche: Piracy along the Horn of Africa: An Analysis of the Phenomena within Somalia http://www.SailOrbits.com Piracy Studies: A knowledge resource and online bibliography on contemporary maritime piracy Horn of Africa crisis—United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Full Report on the Horn of Africa drought Horn of Africa Drought collected news and commentary East Africa's Famine: Disunited in hunger Famine collected news and commentary at The Guardian, with Explainer and Drought map Horn of Africa Emergency at the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), funded by USAID Humanitarian organizations East Africa food crisis at Oxfam Horn of Africa Hunger Crisis at Mercy Corps Eastern and Southern Africa at UNICEF http://www.unocha.org/crisis/ http://www.unicef.org http://www.economist.com http://www.oxfam.org/en/emergencies/east-africa-food-crisis http://www.unicef.org/esaro/