Somalia: UN to take legal action against university registered in its name and logo

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The United Nations will take legal action against a Mogadishu-based institution for using its name and logo without consent, UN assistance mission in Somalia has said, just a month after details of the university emerged.

The United Nations Academy of Somalia [UNAS] is registered using credentials for the UN body and has been in operation for months, with full recognition by the federal government, a move which further subjects Mogadishu administration to a precarious situation.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, UNSOM confirmed that the institution does not have any link to the UN or any other organizations affiliated to it, contrary to initial claims lodged by the owners, who have been running the business by impersonating the global body.

For one to be allowed to use name and logo of UN, UNSOM said, must adhere to the "strict" application process which requires "written" permission from the United Nations Secretary-General and for this case, Antonio Guterres.

But the institution, UNSOM said, had not made any formal application for the permission, a move which rendered it an illegal entity thus the decision to take legal action against its owners and proprietors.

"UNAS has not applied nor has it been granted permission to use UN name and logo. Permission is never granted by the SG for private commercial purposes of the type engaged by UNAS," read the statement.

According to the assistance mission, the UN has been in contact with the federal government of Somalia, the institution, and other relevant internet providers for the unauthorized usage of the logo and the name, with a legal action expected to be taken to discontinue the usage.

"The UN in Somalia has been in contact with UNAS, Somalia authorities and relevant international internet domain and social media platforms on unauthorized use of UN name and logo and are pursuing legal proceedings for UNAS to discontinue such usage," adds the statement.

In May, the UNSOM also distanced itself from the operations of the institution when the matter was brought to the public mainly through social media, but promised to do proper investigations before taking action.

Ari Gaitanis, the mission spokesperson, told reporters then that the institution was not part of the UN, a move that could see sanctions imposed on it for among others, using the logo of the global organization without consent.

"As a matter of fact, the United Nations is not aware of the institution. It's not in any way connected to our organization as people are meant to believe. It's a strange entity to us," said the spokesperson of the UNSOM.

The institution has been taking in students and it could be one of the biggest universities within the war-torn nation, whose education systems have struggled to impress at the national and international levels for decades now.

The Ministry of Education in Somalia insisted that the institution provided all important documents for registration, ruling out possibilities of forgery and crookedness, which are mostly practiced by unscrupulous cartels in the Horn of Africa nation.

"The university was duly registered. We ensured that all documents were presented for confirmation before registration was done. We followed the regulations and it's upon the UN to tell us who provided the institution with their documents," the education department had said.

In-depth investigations established that the institution belongs to Ali Mohamed Gedi, a former Prime Minister who served during the Transitional Government of 2004-07, who is currently working as an advisor to President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.

But what could be of major concern is the decision by the ministry of education to register the institution without going a step further to establish the authenticity of the documents, especially those believed to have emanated from the United Nations.

According to a statement signed by Prof. Sharif Amin, the de facto Vice-Chancellor of the institution, the United Nations Academy of Somalia offers scholarships to both Masters and doctorate students. Several degree courses are also part of the program.

For potential candidates, the institution says on its website, fee payment of $50 must be deposited. It is located around KM4 junction in Mogadishu and offers up to 22 Masters and doctorate programs.

GAROWE ONLINE