UN Monitoring Group Alleges Conspiracy to Divert Somali Assets

Reuters published on 15 July 2014 a story titled "Exclusive: U.N. Monitors Allege 'Conspiracy' to Divert Somali Assets" by Louis Charbonneau and Drazen Jorgic.  It is based on a 37 page confidential document prepared by the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group, an 8-person committee established by the United Nations.

The document says the UN Monitoring Group has obtained information that "reflects exploitation of public authority for private interests and indicates at the minimum a conspiracy to divert the recovery of overseas assets in an irregular manner."  The document implicates a U.S.-based law firm, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a former foreign minister, and two other individuals.

All those accused of involvement in the plan to divert assets have denied any wrongdoing. 

UN Monitoring Group Report on Somalia and Eritrea

The approved 330 page report of the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea has been released. It is my understanding that it does not differ significantly from at least two previously leaked versions of the report. The coordinator of the report was Canadian national Matt Bryden. He does not intend to coordinate the next report.

Based on the earlier leaked reports, the international press focused on two issues: massive corruption in the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the fact that Eritrea has significantly reduced its support for al-Shabaab.

For coverage of Eritrea's reduced support for al-Shabaab, click here to read Aaron Maasho's report in Reuters. For coverage of corruption in the TFG, click here to read Jason Straziuso's account in the Associated Press and click here to read the TFG's response as reported by the BBC.

If you are up to all 330 pages of the UN report, click here. It contains a wealth of information.