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'''Matthew Bryden''' is a Canadian political analyst. From 2008 to 2012, he was the Coordinator for the Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea (SEMG), which was mandated with monitoring violations of the 1992 arms embargo on Somalia. Journalist ] and Puntland President ] accused him of misusing the SEMG's reports to promote the secession of ] and discredit neighboring regions. He is now a Director at a think tank, Sahan Research. '''Matthew Bryden''' is a Canadian political analyst. From 2008 to 2012, he was the Coordinator for the Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea (SEMG), which monitored violations of the 1992 arms embargo on Somalia. Journalist ] and Puntland President ] accused him of misusing the SEMG's reports to promote the secession of ] and discredit neighboring regions. He is now a Director at a think tank, Sahan Research.


==Early life and education== ==Early life and education==

Revision as of 17:45, 22 November 2013

Matthew Bryden
BornUnited Kingdom
NationalityCanadian
Other namesMatt Bryden
Alma materUpper Canada College
OccupationDirector at Sahan Research
Known forHorn of Africa political analysis
Children3

Matthew Bryden is a Canadian political analyst. From 2008 to 2012, he was the Coordinator for the Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea (SEMG), which monitored violations of the 1992 arms embargo on Somalia. Journalist Robert Pelton and Puntland President Abdirahman Farole accused him of misusing the SEMG's reports to promote the secession of Somaliland and discredit neighboring regions. He is now a Director at a think tank, Sahan Research.

Early life and education

Matthew Bryden was born in in the UK and raised in Canada. He attended Upper Canada College in Toronto, where he graduated in 1985. As of 2010, he was enrolled in the doctoral program at King's College London researching modern jihadist movements in Somalia.

Career

Early career

Bryden started his career as an infantry officer in the Canadian Forces Reserve. In 1987, he went to Africa as a tourist while on military leave and traveled through Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. After witnessing the conditions of a war-stricken country, he decided to work for an aid program. In January 1988, Bryden was hired by the Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE) program to fill in registration forms in southwestern Somalia.

When his one-year contract with CARE ended, Bryden joined the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in 1990 in Berbera, Somalia. He was put in charge of the operation after his boss broke his hip and was subsequently sent back to Mogadishu, Somalia. He was re-assigned to Nairobi, Kenya in August 1990, as the UN evacuated non-essential staff, but traveled back to Mogadishu that December in violation of his orders in order to see rebels marching against the capital city.

In 1992, Bryden was appointed as a Special Advisor to the Canadian Ambassador on Somali Affairs. He also led the War-torn Societies Project (WSP) from 1996 to 2003. From 2004 to 2006, Bryden was the Horn of Africa Director for the International Crisis Group (ICG). From 2007 to 2008, Bryden served as an adviser on Somali affairs for the United States' USAID bureau and the US embassy.

Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea (SEMG)

In 2008, Bryden was appointed Coordinator of the United Nations Monitoring Group on Somalia (renamed as the Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea (SEMG) in 2010), which was mandated with monitoring violations of the 1992 arms embargo on Somalia. Journalist Robert Young Pelton said that under Bryden's tenure the SEMG's reports "took on a bizarre and voluminous tone accusing both friend and foe of serious violations." For example, it accused the United States of violating the embargo for anti-terrorist missile strikes and was involved in an incident where two journalists were detained under suspicions of being mercenaries. Bryden said any munitions delivered to Somalia would be considered a breach of the embargo.

Pelton also accused Bryden of "tak an unsual interest in endorsing the success of Somaliland" while ignoring that of Somalia's other regions. Then Puntland President Abdirahman Farole accused Bryden of using his position at the SEMG to create inflated reports of munitions in Puntland and neighboring regions and more optimistic ones on Somaliland in order to support his interest in the secession of Somoliland. He pointed out that Bryden was married to a well-connected woman from the region's dominant clan, the Isaaq.

In 2012 a report by the SEMG was leaked accusing Sharif Sheikh Ahmed of corruption and Ahmed spent 30 minutes of a speech in July criticizing Bryden in response, saying that he was "against peace in Somalia." That August the UN dismissed Bryden from his position after the UN received "detailed complaints" about him.

Sahan Research

As of 2013, Bryden was serving as a Director at Sahan Research, an independent Nairobi-based think tank.

Personal life

Bryden has spent most of his adult life in Somalia and adjacent nations. As of 2011, Bryden, his Somali wife and three kids lived in Nairobi, Kenya. Bryden speaks Somali, with no discernible English accent. He reportedly also holds a Somaliland passport.

Bibliography

References

  1. ^ Michelle Shephard (2011). Decade of Fear: Reporting from Terrorism's Grey Zone. Douglas & McIntyre. pp. 50–. ISBN 978-1-55365-659-3. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  2. Michael Maren (24 November 2009). The Road to Hell. Free Press. p. 184. ISBN 978-1-4391-8841-5. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  3. Upper Canada College (2000). "Summer 2000" (PDF). Old Times (Summer). Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  4. ^ "Speakers' Biographies" (PDF). Geneva Peacebuilding Platform. Retrieved 22 November 2011.
  5. Michael Maren (24 November 2009). The Road to Hell. Free Press. pp. 182–183. ISBN 978-1-4391-8841-5. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  6. Michael Maren (24 November 2009). The Road to Hell. Free Press. pp. 183–184. ISBN 978-1-4391-8841-5. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  7. Michael Maren (24 November 2009). The Road to Hell. Free Press. p. 187. ISBN 978-1-4391-8841-5. Retrieved 23 September 2013.
  8. "Eritrea: A Long Way from Getting Sanctions Lifted". Ethiopian Journal. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  9. ^ Pelton, Robert (September 20, 2012). "Hijacked". Foreign Policy. Retrieved September 2, 2013. Cite error: The named reference "one" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  10. ^ Young, Robert (July 28, 2011), "Latest UN Monitoring Report Released", Somalia Report, retrieved September 2, 2013
  11. James Fergusson (28 May 2013). The World's Most Dangerous Place: Inside the Outlaw State of Somalia. Da Capo Press, Incorporated. pp. 72–. ISBN 978-0-306-82158-5. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  12. "UN Monitoring Group is against peace in Somalia, says President Sharif". Garowe Online. Retrieved 28 August 2012.
  13. Lee, Matthew Russell (6 December 2013). "As Sudan Blocks UN Sanctions Expert Schbley, Bryden Echo, Juba Parallel". Inner City Press. Retrieved 16 September 2013.
  14. Ki-Moon. "Security Council" (PDF). United Nations.
  15. Lee, Matthew (August 21, 2012). "On Eritrea, Bryden & Schbley Are Gone, When Might Hege Follow On DRC?". Inner City Press. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  16. Fletcher, Pascal (May 26, 2013). "Analysis: Africa defense force never more needed but still a paper tiger". Reuters. Retrieved September 23, 2013. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  17. "Somali president names political newcomer as PM, urges unity". Reuters. October 6, 2012. Retrieved September 3, 2013.
  18. Upper Canada College (2011). "Class Notes". Old Times. Summer/Fall. Retrieved 17 September 2013.
  19. "War-torn societies project in practice" (PDF). War-torn Societies Project. Retrieved 17 September 2013.

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