Responsible Sovereignty and the Somali “Al-Shabaab” Case.

an aerial view of Somalia

Every nation state, governments, terror groups, illegal militia organizations and mediocre politicians have all time and again invoked the concept of sovereignty to justify their course and advance their interests. States violate the rights of its people and condemn any kind of humanitarian intervention by hiding under the umbrella of sovereignty. Well, so many things have changed since the treaty of Westphalia of 1648 that gave birth to the concept of sovereignty and the notion of “traditional sovereignty” has little bearing to the current international system especially with the advancement in the level of international interactions and the rise of transnational and regional organizations. 

Concepts such as new diplomacy that shifts the purpose of diplomacy from national interests to the service of humanity, new diplomacy has changed the traditional state centric “state-state” relations to “states-non-state officials/individuals”, the former US envoy to Kenya Michael Reinneberger’s service in Kenya and the former German top envoy Mr. Walter Lindner’s extensive country wide activities and their involvement in Kenya’s political arena is a classic example of this new face of diplomacy.

A child in Somalia

It is in this new light of state interactions and new age of diplomacy that a new concept has emerged within the international community, a concept that defies the old and sets a new global agenda of peace and meaningful state interactions. This new concept is referred to as “responsible sovereignty” and its proponents define it as “the notion that sovereignty entails obligations and duties toward other states as well as to one owns citizens”.

These obligations and duties in my understanding entail the following:-  

•  Respect for the territorial integrity of other nation states.
• · Not to engage in any acts of aggression towards other states.
• · Non interference in the internal affairs of other states (if not for genuine humanitarian concerns and for the sake of regional peace and security).
• ·To desist from undertaking any activities that puts the security of other states in jeopardy or any other such risk.
• ·To work with your neighboring states towards achieving regional peace and bring about stability.
• ·To make sure that fighting within your state does not transcend your borders and affect other peaceful states.
• ·To respond to complaints raised by other states to your actions or those of your citizens.

These obligations and duties have been extensively outlined in the UN charter too.

The flag of Somalia

The examination of Kenya and Somali relations gives a picture that Somalia has been greatly violating these noble obligations and duties, not only to Kenya and the East African region but to the entire world. Since the beginning of the Somalia civil unrest in the early 1990’s the entire world has been affected in so many ways than one could imagine. An analysis of these problems show that these troubles have been transported to other regions especially the East African region include the following:

• ·      The influx of refugee into neighboring states like Kenya. Where refugees come into the country in large numbers often adding to the economic woes of the respective countries to which they seek solace.
• ·      Small arms proliferation and regional insecurity. Arms find their way into neighboring countries leading to insecurity.
• ·    The entrance of zero rated (untaxed) and illegal goods from many parts of the world finding their way into neighboring countries.
• ·    Terrorist attacks in Kenya and Uganda.
• ·    The issue of piracy by the same militant group.
• ·     Somalia is a known as a major terrorist training ground.
  Its common knowledge that trouble gets transported, a crisis somewhere is a potential crisis everywhere,
  the Al-Shabaab menace is no longer a regional concern only, it’s a global agenda. The Kenyan incursion
  into Somalia is thus justified because it’s towards achieving a goal of ridding the world of a menace in the
  name of Al-shabaab militants. The AMISOM and Ethiopian forces that have invaded the tumultuous
  Somalia is all towards a worthy course.

This is the introductory part of a series of posts about Somalia. Stay posted for more.