Showing posts with label Financial Times. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Financial Times. Show all posts

Monday, July 01, 2019

Sudan militia chief Hemeti hires Canadian lobbying group for $6m to influence US, Russia, Saudia Arabia, UN, AU, Libya in favour of TMC

Article from The Financial Times.com
By TOM WILSON in London 
Published at FT.com on Sunday 20 June 2019

Sudan militia chief hires Canadian lobbying group for $6m
US filings show boom in such contracts between N American outfits and African governments
Photo: Soldiers wait for the arrival of Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo before a meeting in Aprag village, 60 km from Khartoum, Sudan © Reuters

A feared militia commander in Sudan has hired a Canadian lobbying group he hopes will secure a public meeting with US president Donald Trump, support from Libya’s military leader and free wheat from Russia in return for an upfront fee of $6m

The consultancy agreement, signed in May by Montreal-based Dickens & Madson and Lieutenant General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of Sudan’s ruling military council, was published on June 17 by the US Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. It is the latest in a series of eye-catching lobbying contracts between North American companies and authoritarian African governments.s military leader and free wheat from Russia in return for an upfront fee of $6m.

For decades, lobbying outfits have served the interests of US businesses and foreign governments willing to pay for introductions and influence. Those companies are expanding their services, promising not only access in Washington but also mediation and dealmaking with third-party governments all over the world.

Matthew Page, a former Department of State official, said lobbying contracts between Washington groups and African states were proliferating because there was a belief that the Trump White House was more susceptible to external influence than previous administrations.

“This is a reflection of the changed political realities in Washington where the dynamics within the Trump administration are fundamentally different in terms of influence peddling,” Mr Page, who is now an associate fellow at Chatham House, a UK think-tank, said. “African governments have always had these types of lobbying firms helping them out but in the Trump era these firms can be more effective.”

Foreign governments, individuals and companies spent almost $1bn on US lobbyists in 2017, according to figures compiled by the Washington-based website OpenSecrets.org, a non-profit organisation which tracks money in US politics.

Services rendered have included securing press coverage for Cameroon’s 82-year-old autocrat Paul Biya, defending officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo from targeted sanctions or blocking the investigation of war crimes in South Sudan.

In Sudan, Dickens & Madson said they would attempt to influence US policy in favour of the transitional military council and help secure funding and equipment for the Sudanese army.

Lt Gen Hamdan and his fellow military officers seized power in April, toppling Omar al-Bashir, a long-term US enemy, following months of government protests. After promising to hand power to civilian rulers, the generals have demurred and in June turned their guns on the people, killing more than 100 civilians in a night-time raid on a pro-democracy sit-in.

The lobbying contract was signed on May 7, before the raid. But even then, Dickens & Madson faced an uphill battle to build US confidence in Lt-Gen Hamdan. Better known as Hemeti, the soldier who is second-in-command in the transitional military council and Sudan’s de facto leader, rose to national prominence as the head of a feared paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces.

Members of the RSF have been accused of widespread human rights abuses in Darfur, western Sudan.

The lobbying group’s contract extends further than Washington. It will also push the interests of the Sudanese transitional military council in Russia, Saudi Arabia, the UN, the African Union and “any other mutually agreed upon country or countries,” according to the filings.

In Russia, the company aims to arrange “private meetings...with senior Russian and other political figures” and to secure aid shipments of wheat, diesel and animal feed.

In Libya, the goal is to win funding for the transitional council from military leader General Khalifa Haftar - another Dickens & Madson client - in return for Sudanese military support for the Libyan National Army.

Other objectives include meetings with Middle Eastern heads of state, US investment in Sudan’s oil industry and even the negotiation of an economic union between Sudan and neighbouring South Sudan, which seceded in 2011.

When contacted by the Financial Times, a spokesperson for Dickens & Madson said the company’s president who signed the agreement, former Israeli intelligence officer Ari Ben-Menashe, was travelling and could not be immediately reached for comment.

Saturday, February 06, 2010

AFP misquoted UN chief Ban Ki Moon - How a translation error led to an international incident - UN chief clarifies erroneous reports re Sudan unity

How a translation error led to an international incident
From Foreign Policy.com by Colum Lynch, Tuesday, 02 Feb 2010 - 4:16 PM:
On Saturday morning [30 January 2010], Ban Ki-moon appeared to be breaking with five years of standing U.N. policy toward Sudan, telling two French news agencies in an interview that he would try to prevent Africa's largest country from splitting into two nations in a 2011 referendum on independence for southern Sudan. "We'll work hard to avoid a possible secession," the wire service Agence France Presse reported him saying.

Ban's remarks were little noted in Washington, but they have set off a major international incident in Sudan, prompting Sudan's southern leaders to accuse the secretary-general of interfering in the South's decision to determine its own political future. Southern Sudan's president, Salva Kiir Mayardit, wrote a letter this morning [Tuesday, 02 February 2010] to Ban, saying his published remarks constituted "an erroneous description of the U.N.'s role as a guarantor" of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, which ended one of Africa's bloodiest and longest civil wars, and offered southerners the right to vote on independence in January 2011. "I'm sure it was not your intention to depict the U.N.'s role in this manner," the letter reads.

Ban told the French reporters that he favors a unified Sudan, saying, "We will try to work hard to make this unity attractive." But he never said he would actively work actively to oppose it. AFP apparently mistranslated the English language interview in its first French version of the story, and then repeated the mistake in English. The actual quote was "Then we will work very closely -- we will have to work very closely -- not to have any negative consequences coming from this potential or possible secession."

The problem is that the story, which first appeared on the wires in French Saturday morning [30 January 2010] and in English in the early afternoon, has played out over the past three days in the international press, getting picked up by news agencies like the BBC and the Financial Times. The new head of the U.N.'s mission in Sudan, Haile Menkerios, has been on the phone with Salva Kiir during the past 24 hours trying to assure him Ban was misquoted. The U.N., meanwhile, only issued its first public denial this afternoon [Tuesday, 02 February 2010]:
"In order to clarify erroneous reports about remarks attributed to the Secretary-General concerning Sudan, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General would like to reaffirm the Secretary-General's position, which is in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the United Nations mandate in Sudan.

The Secretary-General made clear that the United Nations would work to support the parties in their efforts to "make unity attractive" as well as the exercise by the people of Southern Sudan of their right to self-determination in a referendum. In this connection, he made clear that that the United Nations would work to avoid any potential negative consequences following next year's referendum.
Note this copy of a comment posted at the article:
PERMMEMBER 10:56 PM ET February 3, 2010
How attractive?
Was this really a translation error? Or did BKM have it right?
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) commits the parties in para 1.5.5 to:
"Design and implement the Peace Agreement so as to make the unity of the Sudan an attractive option especially to the people of South Sudan."
It's an odd concept for a peace agreement that leads to a referendum on secession...

Any suggestion that the United Nations may have taken a position that may prejudge the outcome of such a referendum is incorrect."
- - -

UN Issues Statement Clarifying World Body's Position on Sudan
From Xinhua, Wednesday, 03 February 2010 2010, 05:59:28, Web Editor: Wang Wenwen:
The United Nations issued a statement on Tuesday [02 February 2010] clarifying the world body's position concerning Sudan's unity over an anti-"secessionist" remark by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that a news outlet reported, which compelled protesters and stirred up emotions and criticism.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky issued a statement Tuesday here at the UN Headquarters in New York to "clarify erroneous reports," in which he reiterated in the statement that the UN chief "made clear that the United Nations would work to support the parties in their efforts to 'make unity attractive' as well as the exercise by the people of Southern Sudan of their right to self-determination in a referendum."

"The spokesperson for the secretary-general would like to reaffirm the secretary-general's position, which is in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the United Nations mandate in Sudan," the statement said.

It was reported in a joint interview with French news media that Ban had said that "we'll work hard to avoid a possible secession."

A later version of the AFP story on Tuesday left the word secessionist out.

"The basic point as I said, in the statement, any suggestion that the UN should take a position that should prejudge an outcome is incorrect," UN associate spokesman Farhan Haq said here at UN Headquarters at a daily press conference.

"(They) did not use the quotes that were attributable to him," Haq said.

The 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed by the Sudanese People's Liberation Army (SPLA) separatists in the south and the national government in the north, brought the end to a decades long civil war, in which at least 2 million people were killed, 4 million others uprooted and 600,000 more forced to flee across the country's borders.

"The Agreement must be implemented in spirit as well as the letter if the immense work undertaken is to be sustainable," the secretary-general said in his report last October, calling on both sides to boost their level of cooperation.
UN chief rebuffs "erroneous" reports about Sudan remarks - People's Daily Online - ‎Feb 2, 2010‎ - UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Tuesday rebuffed "erroneous" media reports about his recent remarks concerning the unity of Sudanese parties and a
UN Issues Statement Clarifying World Body's Position on Sud-CRIENGLISH.com
UN Chief's Comment on South Sudan's Independence Stirs Anger CNSNews.com
UN seeks to calm Sudan row Financial Times - William Wallis, Barney Jopson - ‎22 hours ago‎ Ban Ki-Moon said in an interview with the French News Agency (AFP) on the sidelines of this week's African Union summit that the UN would “work hard to make ...
UN insists not taking sides in Sudan referendum AFP - 3 days ago
UN wants Sudanese unity - News24 - 4 days ago
UN chief remarks on African cooperation with ICC draws rebuke from Sudan Sudan Tribune - 4 days ago
UN chief warns on Sudan secession push Financial Times - Barney Jopson, William Wallis - ‎Jan 31, 2010‎ Ban Ki-Moon, UN secretary-general, has pledged to “work hard” to avoid the secession of south Sudan in a referendum next year, a position that risks setting ...
UN will work to maintain Sudan's unity, Ban Ki-Moon says Sudan Tribune - ‎Jan 30, 2010‎ January 30, 2010 (ADDIS ABABA) — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said today his organization would work to avoid southern Sudan secession
UN chief calls for Sudan unity ahead of African summit AngolaPress - ‎Jan 31, 2010‎ Addis Ababa - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called Saturday for national unity in Sudan and ruled out deploying UN peacekeepers in Somalia, ...
UN chief appeals for Sudan unity Kenya Broadcasting Corporation - ‎Jan 31, 2010 The UN secretary general has urged African leaders to work for national unity in Sudan to avoid the south of the country seceding from the north. ...
UN chief pledges full support for peace, security in Africa CCTV - ‎Jan 31, 2010‎ ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon pledged here on Sunday that the world body fully supports the peace and security in the ...
Ban Ki-moon calls for Sudan unity Press TV - ‎Jan 30, 2010‎ UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has called for national unity in Sudan in an effort to stop a possible partitioning of the country by the 2011 referendum. ...
UN Secretary-General on Sudan—High-Level Meeting in Addis Ababa
From United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General (NEW YORK) Wednesday, 03 February 2010, via African Press Organization (APO) -
Statement Attributable to the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General on Sudan—High-Level Meeting in Addis Ababa:
In order to clarify erroneous reports about remarks attributed to the Secretary-General concerning Sudan, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General would like to reaffirm the Secretary-General’s position, which is in accordance with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the United Nations mandate in Sudan.

The Secretary-General made clear that the United Nations would work to support the parties in their efforts to “make unity attractive” as well as the exercise by the people of Southern Sudan of their right to self-determination in a referendum. In this connection, he made clear that that the United Nations would work to avoid any potential negative consequences following next year’s referendum.

Any suggestion that the United Nations may have taken a position that may prejudge the outcome of such a referendum is incorrect.

SOURCE: United Nations – Office of the Spokesperson of the Secretary-General
- - -

Reaction to Ban Ki-moon Secession Statement
Report from SRS - Sudan Radio Service, Wednesday, 03 February 2010:
(Asmara/Khartoum) - There have been mixed reactions to the statement by the UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon that the UN and the AU will work hard to avoid the secession of southern Sudan.

Ban Ki-moon made the statement during the AU summit in Addis Ababa over the weekend.

The director of the Peace Building Centre in the Horn of Africa, Dr. Taysir Mohamed Ahmed, has described Ki-moon’s statement as “illogical and meaningless”.

Ahmed spoke to SRS from Asmara, Eritrea on Wednesday.

[Dr. Taysir Mohamed Ahmed]: “This statement was unusual, because the right of self-determination is internationally recognized and it is one of the fundamental rights expressed in the CPA. Secondly, Ban Ki-moon himself comes from a country which seceded from another country, am I right? Then why were they allowed to secede yet it is forbidden for others? Ban Ki-moon would have been better off speaking about the efforts to solve the root causes of the civil war in Sudan since independence, instead of saying they will work to make sure Sudan remains united. So, it was an illogical and meaningless statement.”

Another political analyst reacted with rather less hostility to Ki-moon’s statement.

Taj Al-Sir Makei spoke to SRS from Khartoum.

[Taj Al-Sir]: “As a general idea it is right to think that the UN will work towards avoiding the secession of the south. But the reaction to Ban Ki-moon’s statement was a misinterpretation if people think that he supports the unity of the country. But the issue will be decided upon by the referendum, and the only people who will determine unity or secession are the people of southern Sudan. Personally, I think it was just a point of view indicating that if the south secedes, some other voices will demand the same thing for other parts of Sudan - and this is possible.”

According to the CPA, the people of southern Sudan shall have the right to self-determination through a referendum, at the end of the interim period in 2011, choosing between unity of the Sudan and secession.
- - -

UN seeks to calm Sudan row
From the Financial Times by William Wallis in Addis Ababa and Barney Jopson in Juba
Published: February 5 2010 16:23 | Last updated: February 5 2010 16:23
The United Nations has no intention of pushing south Sudan to vote one way or the other at next year’s referendum on self-determination, a senior UN official has said, after comments attributed to the UN secretary general sparked a diplomatic storm.

Ban Ki-Moon said in an interview with the French News Agency (AFP) on the sidelines of this week’s African Union summit that the UN would “work hard to make unity [with Khartoum] attractive”, a position potentially pitting it against the wishes of the majority of south Sudanese.

AFP later said it had misquoted the UN chief making a stronger commitment to “prevent secession”. But this was only after the episode had prompted alarm in the government of the semi-autonomous south at the prospect of the UN taking a more proactive approach to such a sensitive issue.

The referendum on self-determination was a key provision of a peace agreement that in 2005 brought a formal end to a 20-year civil war between the north and non-Muslim rebels from south Sudan.

“You cannot change the course of a ship midstream,” said Haile Menkerios, the new UN special representative for Sudan, clarifying the UN position and adding that it was up to the Sudanese to influence the outcome of the referendum. The responsibility of the UN was to ensure the agreement was implemented, he said.

“Helping southern Sudan to build institutions, to build capacity up is an effort the international community must increase. It does not in any way prejudge the outcome of the referendum. Whichever way the decision is going, such an effort would have a positive contribution,” he said.

Relations between the northern Islamist regime of Omar al-Bashir, president, and south Sudan have become increasingly tense in the countdown to scheduled elections in April and the referendum due next January.

A majority vote for southern independence is looking likely, but negotiations on sharing oil wealth, demarcating borders, sharing external debt and many other divisive issues are far from complete.

Mr Ban’s reported comments prompted Salva Kiir, president of south Sudan, to write to the secretary general requesting his “confirmation” that the UN’s role as a guarantor of the peace deal was to support its implementation and “a smooth transition post-referendum, regardless of the outcome”.

Luka Biong Deng, minister of presidential affairs in the government of south Sudan, told the Financial Times that the episode had had a positive effect. “It was necessary because it triggered the fundamental question about the mandate of the UN,” he said.

Questions about the south’s chances of success as an independent state have been revived by the controversy, with considerable concern focusing on rising ethnic violence in the region and the continued existence of rival militias outside the southern army and within it.

“It’s good that these things happened now, because otherwise as we move nearer to the referendum some voices will start talking about whether this state is viable or not,” Mr Biong said. “I think the issue of whether the situation is viable or not is our collective responsibility, as the government and the international community.”

He said the southern government had made significant progress in improving security and raising standards of governance, but diplomats and business people in Juba, the southern capital, say more needs to be done.

Some African Union and some UN officials fear a vote for independence could reignite the civil war in Sudan and inspire secessionists elsewhere in Africa.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. Print a single copy of this article for personal use. Contact us if you wish to print more to distribute to others.
News from SRS - Sudan Radio Service 29 Jan 2010 - 03 Feb 2010: