http://www.newbusinessethiopia.com/index.php/resource/10-governance/1066/1066
Regional bloc's report finds no evidence on Eritrea’s financing to Al Shabaab
Monday, 22 August 2016 00:00
Published in Governance
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- Photo- Photo- From Left- At press conference in Addis Ababa this
morning, Matt Bryden, Executive Chairman of SAHAN, a global research
think-tank co-produced the report next to Commander Abebe Muluneh
Beyene, Director at IGAD Security Sector Program pic- August 15, 2016
-
The Inter-governmental Authority n Development (IGAD), the
eight-country trade and development bloc in Eastern Africa, has
launched a report last week on Al Shabaab that highlighted the
changing tactics of the extremist group and absence of evidence about
Eritrea's regime financing it.
Responding to a question at the launching of the report, if the report
has found out about the alleged engagement of Eritrean government in
financing Al Shabaab, “For the moment we haven’t got evidence the
support Al Shabaab getting external funding,” said Matt Bryden,
Executive Chairman of SAHAN, a global research think-tank co-produced
the report.
The 2011 UN Security Council Resolution 2023 among others, underscores
the international community’s condemnation of Eritrea’s destabilizing
behavior in the Horn and its support for terrorism.
Mr. Bryden stressed that they have not found any evidence that shows
Alshabaab getting international or state financing except individual’s
support for specific operations of the extremist group.
State building
Mr. Bryden stressed that the international community must continue to
support the state building process in Somalia to end the existence of
Al Shabaab in the country.
In the future IGAD is planning to produce in depth report that shows
linkages of Al Shabaab with other regional and international groups,
according to Commander Abebe.
Al Shabaab’s changing tactics
Al Shabaab is neither getting stronger nor weakening rather changing
its tactics, according to the report. The extremist group, which has
been operating in the east African region for the past several years,
is now using different recruiting mechanisms such as using Kiswahili
language and business as well as leisure travelers.
“Al Shabaab has lost its major basis. But this doesn’t mean it is
dead. From past experiences the extremist group is known for changing
its strategies,” said Commander Abebe Muluneh Beyene, Director at IGAD
Security Sector Program.
Commander Abebe noted that the report is produced based on UN
Resolution 2023 that suggested the need for supporting evidence on the
activities of Al Shabaab and present it to the committee on `
So far hundreds of people are killed by Al Shabaab’s attack in the
IGAD region mainly in Kenya, Djibouti, Uganda and Somalia. Since
September 2014, Al Shabaab is being led by Ahmed Diiriye who runs nine
offices after replacing the former leader of the group - Ahmed Abdi
Godane, according to the report. The members of the group are mainly
from IGAD Region.
Excluding the new nation - South Sudan, the seven member states of
IGAD - Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda -
cover an area of 5.2 million square kilometers and have a population
of more than 180 Million.
Received on Sat Aug 27 2016 - 09:40:48 EDT