Illegal charcoal trade funding Somalia's al-Shebab

The illegal trade in charcoal is funding al-Shebab operations in the Horn of Africa, according to a United Nations report launched in Nairobi during the inaugural United Nations Environment Assembly.

Delegates attend the first United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) in Kenya's capital Nairobi Reuters/Noor Khamis

The report, prepared by the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) and Interpol, states that al-Shebab’s primary income appears to be from informal taxation at roadblock checkpoints and ports.

The terror group has been able to make up to 13 million euros per year from charcoal traffic in Somalia’s Badhadhe District.

Trading charcoal in other districts and taxing the ports have generated an estimated annual total of 28-41 million euros for al-Shebab.

The overall size of the illicit charcoal export from Somalia has been estimated at 264–282 million euros per year.

The UN report further notes that despite the UN Security Council ban of Somali charcoal exports in 2012, the Somali ports of Kismayo and Baraawe have continued to enjoy charcoal export booms.

Al-Shebab claimed responsibility for the recent terror attack on Kenya’s coastal town of Mpeketoni, in which at least 60 people died.

Al-Shebab has been launching attacks in Kenya ever since Kenya’s military launched a military operation in Somalia in 2011.

Although some of al-Shebab’s attacks in Kenya were carried out using improvised explosive devices, the Mpeketoni and Westgate attacks were conducted in a highly sophisticated manner with high-calibre weapons.

The fact that illegal charcoal trade is playing a major part in funding al-Shebab’s operations has come as a shock to many Kenyans.

Charcoal is widely used for domestic cooking in Kenya and other African countries.

Although the exported Somali charcoal doesn’t end up in Kenya, it is still bought by other countries.

Environmentalists are now calling for alternative and cleaner cooking fuels that will conserve forests and deprive armed groups like al-Shebab revenue from the illegal charcoal trade.

"The illegal trade in natural resources is depriving developing economies of billions of dollars in lost revenues and lost development opportunities, while benefiting a relatively small criminal fraternity," Unep’s executive director Achim Steiner said in the report.