Difference between revisions of "Sean Cleary"

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Mr. Cleary was a member of the Facilitating Committee and the Preparatory Committee of the National Peace Accord, and Chairman of the Working Group on the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations. He served on several national Advisory Committees in Namibia between 1985 and 1989<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.wkforum.org/WKF/speakers/viewspeaker_2002_e.php?lecturer_code=1602&year=2002 Speakers: World Knowledge Forum 2002], ''World Knowledge Program'', Accessed 10-September-2009</ref>.  
 
Mr. Cleary was a member of the Facilitating Committee and the Preparatory Committee of the National Peace Accord, and Chairman of the Working Group on the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations. He served on several national Advisory Committees in Namibia between 1985 and 1989<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.wkforum.org/WKF/speakers/viewspeaker_2002_e.php?lecturer_code=1602&year=2002 Speakers: World Knowledge Forum 2002], ''World Knowledge Program'', Accessed 10-September-2009</ref>.  
  
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In 2009 Cleary attended a conference entitled [[Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Confidence]]<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.qatar-conferences.org/enriching2009/program.php Global Conflict and Cooperation in a New Era], ''Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Confidence, Conference'', Accessed 11-September-2009</ref>. He is also on the board of directors at the [[International Foundation for Electoral Systems]]<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.ifes.org/board.html Board], ''IFES'' , Accessed 11-September-2009</ref>and is listed as a volunteer on the [[Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow]] website.<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.asmasociety.org/mlt2006/volunteers.html Volunteers], Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow, Accessed 11-September-2009</ref>, whos website is registered to the [[asma society]].
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In 2009 Cleary attended a conference entitled [[Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Confidence]]<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.qatar-conferences.org/enriching2009/program.php Global Conflict and Cooperation in a New Era], ''Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Confidence, Conference'', Accessed 11-September-2009</ref>. He is also on the board of directors at the [[International Foundation for Electoral Systems]]<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.ifes.org/board.html Board], ''IFES'' , Accessed 11-September-2009</ref>and is listed as a volunteer on the [[Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow]] website.<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.asmasociety.org/mlt2006/volunteers.html Volunteers], Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow, Accessed 11-September-2009</ref>.
  
 
Cleary attended the 2009 [[Milken Institute]] Global Conference<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS214526+06-May-2009+BW20090506 Operation HOPE Announces Continued Partnership with Premiere Radio Networks during The Milken Institute Global Conference 2009], Reuters, 6-May-2009</ref>.
 
Cleary attended the 2009 [[Milken Institute]] Global Conference<ref>Sean Cleary, [http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS214526+06-May-2009+BW20090506 Operation HOPE Announces Continued Partnership with Premiere Radio Networks during The Milken Institute Global Conference 2009], Reuters, 6-May-2009</ref>.

Revision as of 15:33, 11 September 2009

Sean Cleary is a former South African Military Intelligence Officer and subsequently diplomat who was a board member at Erinys International South Africa until 2003. Cleary worked as a political advisor to Jonas Savimbi the leader of the UNITA rebels during the Angolan civil war[1]. Cleary is the Managing Director of Strategic Concepts (Pty) Ltd, which specialises in strategic counsel to multinational corporations, risk management and investment analysis in sub-Saharan Africa. He is also Chairman of Transcontinental Consultancy (Pty) Ltd and a director of several other South African and Namibian companies.

He is a Fellow of the World Economic Forum, a Faculty Member of the WEF Annual Meeting, a Member of the World Economic Forum's Southern African Task Force and the Institute of Directors, and a Trustee of the South African Foundation for Conciliation and the Peace and Reconstruction Foundation.

Mr. Cleary was a member of the Facilitating Committee and the Preparatory Committee of the National Peace Accord, and Chairman of the Working Group on the Code of Conduct for Political Parties and Organizations. He served on several national Advisory Committees in Namibia between 1985 and 1989[2].

In 2009 Cleary attended a conference entitled Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Confidence[3]. He is also on the board of directors at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems[4]and is listed as a volunteer on the Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow website.[5].

Cleary attended the 2009 Milken Institute Global Conference[6].

Career History

  • 1967-1969 (South African Navy) Assistant to the Staff Officer (Intelligence) on the staff of Commander Maritime Defence
  • 1970-1975 (South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Diplomat to Tehran
  • 1976-1977 (South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Deputy Head of the Economic and Financial Relations Division
  • 1977-1978 (South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Head of the Training Division
  • 1978-1982 (South African Embassy) Political Counsellor and Head of the Political Division
  • 1982-1983 (South African Embassy) Consul-General in the twelve Western States of the USA
  • 1983-1985 Chief Director in Namibia[7].


Operation Agree

According to Cleary's biography on the World Knowledge Forum Cleary's role in South Africa was one where "he initiated negotiations between SWAPO and other Namibian political parties, the release of Namibian political prisoners and the implementation of that territory's first Bill of Fundamental Rights"[8]. A different interpretation of Cleary's role in Namibia is put forward by a Guardian investigation into "Operation Agree".

Sean Cleary's company Strategy Network International is described by The Guardian as being a key part of "an extensive network of right-wing organizations linked to the South African government". According to their investigation the company was "set up in the 1980s by Sean Cleary, a former South African diplomat who once served in Washington. Cleary's group spearheaded the 1989 election campaign in Namibia for pro-South African politicians running against the Namibian independence movement, Swapo".

Subsequent investigations in South Africa have revealed that the anti-Swapo effort was the first part of "Operation Agree," a complex secret strategy by South African military intelligence designed to preserve South African economic dominance of the southern African region. Support for Unita in Angola's elections was the second phase of "Operation Agree," according to a former intelligence officer, Nico Basson, who gave extensive testimony during the investigation[9].

According to The Independent Strategy Network International was specifically created to lobby against economic sanctions and as propagandist for Unita, the Angolan opposition group, and for the so-called 'transitional government' of Namibia set up in defiance of UN resolution 435 on Namibian independence[10].

South African Propaganda in Namibia

In 1985 former PR Consulant to the Namibian administration Sir Trevor Lloyd-Hughes, accused the Strategy Network International of being controlled totally by Pretoria. Strategy Network International Ltd, was a new company lobbying for the Namibian regime and established by Steven Govier who was sacked by Trevor Lloyd Hughes earlier that year, and Patrick Wattson. Govier initially denied working for the South Africans insisting that he was employed by the Transitional Government of National Unity, the administration set up in Windhoek.

It later emerged that they were paid and instructed by a company called Transontinental Consultancy and that its owner, Sean Cleary, had helped establish their office in London. Cleary was previously Director-General of the Administrator-General's office in Windhoek and an important South African diplomat who was instrumental in setting up the transitional administration.

He resigned from the civil service in to start Transcontinental and was promptly awarded four million rand (pounds 1.5 million) to act as consultant to the transitional government. Questions were raised at the time about the way this contract was awarded without consultation or tender.

The Times goes on to add:

"The company also appears to be acting as a recruiting agency for the South-West African Defence Force, the Namibian contigent of the South African Army fighting Swapo guerrillas in the territory. Mr Daniel Hill, an unemployed Irish citizen from Cardiff, approached the group two weeks ago and asked to join the Namibian armed forces. He said yesterday that Mr Watson had told him he would arrange for a visa and find out whether he could join the Army".[11].

Affiliations

Erinys International | World Economic Forum | UNITA | Strategic Concepts | Transcontinental Consultancy | WEF Annual Meeting | Strategy Network International | International Foundation for Electoral Systems

Career History

  • 1967-1969 (South African Navy) Assistant to the Staff Officer (Intelligence) on the staff of Commander Maritime Defence
  • 1970-1975 (South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Diplomat to Tehran
  • 1976-1977 (South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Deputy Head of the Economic and Financial Relations Division
  • 1977-1978 (South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Head of the Training Division
  • 1978-1982 (South African Embassy) Political Counsellor and Head of the Political Division
  • 1982-1983 (South African Embassy) Consul-General in the twelve Western States of the USA
  • 1983-1985 Chief Director in Namibia[12].


Operation Agree

According to Cleary's biography on the World Knowledge Forum Cleary's role in South Africa was one where "he initiated negotiations between SWAPO and other Namibian political parties, the release of Namibian political prisoners and the implementation of that territory's first Bill of Fundamental Rights"[13]. A different interpretation of Cleary's role in Namibia is put forward by a Guardian investigation into "Operation Agree".

Sean Cleary's company Strategy Network International is described by The Guardian as being a key part of "an extensive network of right-wing organizations linked to the South African government". According to their investigation the company was "set up in the 1980s by Sean Cleary, a former South African diplomat who once served in Washington. Cleary's group spearheaded the 1989 election campaign in Namibia for pro-South African politicians running against the Namibian independence movement, Swapo".

Subsequent investigations in South Africa have revealed that the anti-Swapo effort was the first part of "Operation Agree," a complex secret strategy by South African military intelligence designed to preserve South African economic dominance of the southern African region. Support for Unita in Angola's elections was the second phase of "Operation Agree," according to a former intelligence officer, Nico Basson, who gave extensive testimony during the investigation[14].

According to The Independent Strategy Network International

Notes

  1. ↑ Elaine Windrich, Angola's War Economy: The Role of Oil and Diamonds, HNet Book Reviews, Accessed 11-September-2009
  2. ↑ Sean Cleary, Speakers: World Knowledge Forum 2002, World Knowledge Program, Accessed 10-September-2009
  3. ↑ Sean Cleary, Global Conflict and Cooperation in a New Era, Enriching the Middle East's Economic Future Confidence, Conference, Accessed 11-September-2009
  4. ↑ Sean Cleary, Board, IFES , Accessed 11-September-2009
  5. ↑ Sean Cleary, Volunteers, Muslim Leaders of Tomorrow, Accessed 11-September-2009
  6. ↑ Sean Cleary, Operation HOPE Announces Continued Partnership with Premiere Radio Networks during The Milken Institute Global Conference 2009, Reuters, 6-May-2009
  7. ↑ Sean Cleary, Speakers: World Knowledge Forum 2002, World Knowledge Program, Accessed 10-September-2009
  8. ↑ Sean Cleary, Speakers: World Knowledge Forum 2002, World Knowledge Program, Accessed 10-September-2009
  9. ↑ Victoria Britain,ANGOLAN WAR SPAWNS COMPLEX WEB OF PROFITEERS Fierce, deadly conflict continues, Insight Guardian News Service, 5-April-1993, Accessed 11-September-2009
  10. ↑ PATRICIA WYNN DAVIES, RICHARD DOWDEN and JOHN CARLIN, The Attack on Sleaze: How apartheid regime set out to woo Tories: Patricia Wynn Davies tells the story of the firm which gave MPs a South African perspective, The Independent, 26-October-1994, Accessed 11-September-2009
  11. ↑ Richard Dowden, Nambia regime blighted by propaganda feud in London / South Africa's attempts to gain international credibility for its administration, The Times, Accessed via Nexis UK, 2-November-1985, Accessed 11-September-2009
  12. ↑ Sean Cleary, Speakers: World Knowledge Forum 2002, World Knowledge Program, Accessed 10-September-2009
  13. ↑ Sean Cleary, Speakers: World Knowledge Forum 2002, World Knowledge Program, Accessed 10-September-2009
  14. ↑ Victoria Britain,ANGOLAN WAR SPAWNS COMPLEX WEB OF PROFITEERS Fierce, deadly conflict continues, Insight Guardian News Service, 5-April-1993, Accessed 11-September-2009
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