The UN endorsed the Arta government before determining its popular legitimacy

Evidence

The U.N., in fact, had decided that its initiative was a success from the beginning and was not prepared to see whether ‘Abdulqassim and his ministers would actually succeed in winning public support on a sufficiently wide front to warrant the title ‘government’. Abdulqassim, obviously, had started off badly with a highly centralized political structure and by failing to honour his pledge to move the Somali capital to Baidoa. In its rush to legitimate his fledgling administration, the U.N. committed a more serious blunder by immediately granting the T.N.G. diplomatic recognition, and welcoming its representative to the Somali seat at the General Assembly. While some Arab states with Islamic and commercial links with the new leaders quickly followed suit, America and the European Union (despite persistent Italian pressures) prudently waited to see how Arta would go down in Somalia. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 684 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

It soon became apparent that, in contrast to the official U.N. propaganda which trumpeted the fact that over 2,000 people attended at various stages, many of the ‘delegates’ were actually self-appointed and represented themselves rather than anyone else. Others had simply come to test the waters and see whether they felt the enterprise worth supporting. These included half a dozen of Siyad’s generals, of whom the most notorious were perhaps Morgan and Gaani. As, after months of gruelling negotiation, the Arta marathon began to reach its climax, other prominent members of his discredited regime were soon seen to be playing a prominent role, wheeling and dealing with funds from a variety of sources, and with contenders like ‘Ali Mahdi who had returned for the occasion after a long exile in Egypt. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 676 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

In the event, when the conference finally closed on 13 August 2000 – with those present appointing an interim national assembly and a President to appoint a transitional national government (T.N.G.) to organize elections within three years – to get the numbers back up to strength, the Djibouti President, who had masterminded the whole proceedings, was forced hurriedly to muster a few ‘assemblymen’ from the streets of the town. Other sources claim that these were carefully selected placemen (including the principal sugar importer to Mogadishu), to safeguard the Djibouti President’s business interests. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 677 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The U.N. rushed recognition of a government that lacked wide support. — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 684; The Arta conference’s assembly had to be padded with street recruits at its close — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 677; Self-appointed delegates undermined the claimed grassroots basis of the Arta conference — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 676

Related

• The U.N. rushed recognition of a government that lacked wide support. (similarity 0.89)
• Self-appointed delegates undermined the claimed grassroots basis of the Arta conference (similarity 0.86)
• The Arta conference’s assembly had to be padded with street recruits at its close (similarity 0.84)
• Somaliland’s foundational 1993 Borama conference was funded and run locally without U.N. support (similarity 0.83)
• The Arta 2000 conference produced its assembly partly through staged, unrepresentative enrollment (similarity 0.83)
• International recognition was awarded to a phantom government while the functioning one was ignored. (similarity 0.81)
• The Arta conference replicated Siyad’s centralized government and excluded existing regional states (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• The U.N. rushed recognition of a government that lacked wide support. #corroborates (0.85) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 684
• Self-appointed delegates undermined the claimed grassroots basis of the Arta conference #corroborates (0.60) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 676
• The Arta conference’s assembly had to be padded with street recruits at its close #corroborates (0.50) — I.M. Lewis, I. M. Lewis, A Modern History of the Somali_ Nation…, 677