Ahmed Hussen , president of the Canadian Somali Congress , talked to The Globe and Mail about the underlying causes of Somalia's famine and the politics in the Horn of Africa.
Q: Why is there a famine in Somalia?
It's the drought combined with a breakdown of governance and accountability, and an entrenched culture of impunity. And there is the problem of the prevention of food aid in areas of Somalia controlled by the al-Shabaab, the militant al-Qaeda-backed group.
Q: What is the role of the Transitional Federal Government in Somalia?
The government, and its allies on the ground, are adding to the difficulties. If you look at areas that are being vacated by al-Shabaab, they are actually making things worse. The new rulers are fighting amongst themselves, shaking people down, introducing checkpoints, looting food aid. That's why al-Shabaab started in the first place.
Q: What is the solution?
To support the reformers in the government. Many in the Somali diaspora, including economists, tax experts, people with a background in law and order, have gone back to try to introduce some level of technocratic ability. They are starting to make a difference on the ground. The last three prime ministers of Somalia have all been from the diaspora, including a political scientist from Ottawa. They resuscitated the central bank of Somalia, introduced auditing systems, put a law through parliament that makes all office holders declare their wealth before taking office and so on. The disheartening thing is that they are not getting adequate support to really transform the government. They are being undermined by the former warlords.
Q: What can Canada do?
Canada is providing a huge amount of money to the World Food Program. They give more per capita than other Western countries. However, Canada could also support the reformers. This would help tackle terrorism and piracy.
Q: What about the issue of refugee resettlement?
The refugee camps in Dadaab, Kenya, were built for 90,000, but host a half-million Somali refugees. They are now 21 years old. And al-Shabaab recruits from these camps. I'm proposing refugee self-settlement, which was done with South Sudanese in Uganda. Instead of putting refugees in camps, the UN gave each family some money with an ATM card to withdraw money and pay rent in low-cost housing in the cities. The children of the refugees go to local schools and clinics and donors pay for this. You eliminate a huge bureaucracy and refugees are integrated. They are more likely to get an education and repatriate faster back to their homeland.
Q: Is al-Shabaab still recruiting from Canada?
Yes. The radicalization of young Canadian-Somalis is still going on. Western recruits are prized by this movement. They help make propaganda videos, and form a chain connection to recruit more people.
Q: Explain the role Somalia's neighbours play in the conflict.
The idea that Uganda and Ethiopia want a stable, functioning government in Somalia is preposterous. Ethiopia sponsors a militia group and gets money from the United States. Kenya is building a mini-state in southern Somalia, with the idea that with a buffer state, Kenya won't have to deal with al-Shabaab.
Q: What are some long-term solutions?
One option is, the UN could oversee a five-year period of trusteeship, and appoint someone such as Lloyd Axworthy as envoy. The Somalis would accept it as long as it wasn't led by an East African contingency. They would accept Turkey or South Africa or Egypt or Algeria. Or, you could re-enforce the reformers in government; put a travel ban and asset freeze on anyone in the government who is corrupt or commits human-right violations.
Q: How interested is Ottawa in these issues?
The government is engaged in terms of the bottom line, as well as from a national-security perspective, and because of the local Somali-Canadian population.
This interview has been edited and condensed