Mogadishu

I’m in Mogadishu and, at the moment, I’m in the “green zone” in the outdoor cafeteria at the UN compound. The incongruous sound of country music is playing with the sound broken up occasionally by roar of military helicopters flying overhead and planes taking off at the nearby airstrip. It’s hot (my phone is saying that it’s a 99° F/37° C), sunny and dusty but not uncomfortable when you’re in the shade. The breeze is nearly constant as the compound sits at the edge of the Indian Ocean. It’s a strange place and there are things about it that I will miss when my time here comes to an end.

My trip was delayed by a few days due to demonstrations in Mogadishu and the potential for them to escalate. But by Sunday, we agreed that it was safe enough for me to travel. And indeed, so far things have been relatively calm. There have been violent demonstrations in Nairobi as well, even causing the city to more or less shut down for a day or so. I have been able to dodge both, at least for now.

vervet monkeys playing near the office

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Security has been a significant concern since I’ve been working in Somalia. It takes up a considerable amount of my mental energy. Part of it is the very real concern about keeping staff, partners, assets and beneficiaries (and me) safe. Part of it is the management of security: looking at cost/benefit, tracking data, analyzing the drivers of security, staying on top of technological advancements, etc. It’s something that takes time away from focusing on our humanitarian and development efforts in the country. But it's inherent in the work here. 

Security and Perception

The benefit of being here a long time is that you have a longitudinal perspective that a lot of non-Somalis don’t have. And one thing that has been a nagging issue is the balancing of perceptions vs. reality. With regards to security, there are a lot of people that have an interest in leveraging the perception that Somalia is more insecure than it really is.

It’s an issue I raised a few years ago when I met with the former US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield. She asked if there was something that should be highlighted as an issue that impedes our work in supporting the people of Somalia. I told her that there are countless issues, some that we can control and some we can’t. The concern I raised falls largely in the former category. There is an ongoing monetization of the security situation in Somalia whereby some stakeholders have much to gain by the perception of insecurity. Around the world, there are contractors that provide security support at a high cost and have no interest in portraying environments as safe. Even among the UN structures, many people’s jobs depend on the perception of insecurity. And, frankly, it gives some in the international community (ex. UN) the ability to remain in their offices rather than heading out into the field and connecting with the population they are supposedly serving. It's an issue that I raised in multiple forums. And, as I told the Ambassador, this issue is not likely to change, at least not in the short term, since people don’t have an incentive to change it.

Mogadishu sunset

Security and Status

This is related to another issue regarding social status. In this context, security and status are intertwined. If you dismantle security structures, you potentially impact someone’s status as well. Status is defined by different things depending on the culture, but in Somalia, the security you have is frequently connected to your level in society and/or wealth.

A friend of mine, who is a former government minister, and I were having tea a while back and he was describing how this plays out in practical terms. While he served as minister a couple of presidents ago, he had a vehicle and armed escorts as needed. After the elections, and new ministers were appointed, he necessarily had to step down. All of the sudden, he had no vehicle and no security detail. This put him in a vulnerable position given that, once you’ve been in government, whether you’re currently in your role or not, you are automatically a terrorist target. In addition to his transportation challenges, he needed to move out of his house given that it was no longer secure enough without armed guards. Now, under the current president, he’s back in government and has a security detail once again. It's a practical need, but it also impacts his profile.

Whenever I attend high-level meetings with government officials, the security protocols become more elaborate the higher the rank of the government representative. If the president is coming, streets are blocked for his convoy. You expect massive delays for the start of the meeting, but don’t show up too late or you won’t be able to enter the venue. Once the president enters, no one comes in or out until he has departed. There are loads of other protocols as well. It’s similar for the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister, but slightly less rigorous as you move down the line. Your importance is often linked to the amount of security you have.

Security and Separation

There’s a feeling of power when you have a lot of people looking after you and when armed guys blocking traffic as you drive through town. I know because it is the case with me as well. But after more than two decades of people looking after me and having significantly more robust security detail these last ten years, I have increasingly found it annoying. Don’t get me wrong, there is a positive side to it. I love weaving through the city at a high rate of speed and spending less time stuck in traffic (with less exposure to risk), but I have grown more and more frustrated by the barriers that result from the layers of security. I cannot visit a clinic without loads of preparation, advanced reconnaissance and a dramatic entrance accompanied by a swarm of armed men in sunglasses. In my early days in Somalia, the security situation was more precarious, and protection was even more rigorous than it is now. On one occasion back in 2017, our private security suggested that I wear a steel tactical helmet (feels like putting a large bell on your head) and a Kevlar vest when carrying out a visit to one of our projects. An HQ colleague I was with at the time was rather rotund and had difficulty wrapping the vest around his torso. In the end, we tossed the gear into the back of the armored vehicle and that was the last time I ever wore it. In addition to being terribly uncomfortable, it creates a barrier between you and the people you are meeting with.

It’s always tough to find the balance. It’s all well and good to peel off security layers until something goes wrong. Determining where that line is, not only for me but for the people I work with – putting staff in harm’s way – is one of the most stressful things I’ve ever had to do professionally. That’s why it’s always easier to add security rather than dismantle it. You have far more liability when security is lacking rather than when it is redundant. But at some point, you need to have courage to say that it's excessive, costly and creating unnecessary barriers.

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Team Building

Yesterday, after attending a meeting with a private contractor, I came back to the office to participate in a World HR Day event. Full disclosure, I didn’t know that WHRD was a thing, and, in retrospect, I’m not sure it should be. Though I agree that effective HR is critical, I’m not sure having a dedicated day provides any value. In any case, I joined in and mustered up some enthusiasm. I provided some introductory remarks and then the small group of staff who attended proceeded to engage in a team-building activity. It was in Somali, so I didn’t get the full gist, but it was something similar to charades. Though I'm not a big fan of team-building games, it was nice getting together with the team.