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UN / SOMALIA UPDATE
STORY: UN / SOMALIA UPDATE
TRT: 3:00
SOURCE: UNIFEED-UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 14 OCTOBER 2014, NEW YORK CITY / RECENT
RECENT-NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters
14 OCTOBER 2014, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. Med shot, delegates
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Kay, UN Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Somalia (SRSG):
“Somalia’s challenges remain significant. Urgent and coherent action by the Federal Government and international partners is needed in security, development, political and humanitarian fields.”
5. Med shot, delegates
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Kay, UN Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Somalia (SRSG):
“The humanitarian situation in Somalia has continued to deteriorate. Over 3 million people need humanitarian or livelihood assistance in Somalia today. This includes over 1 million Somalis who cannot feed themselves, an increase of 20 percent in six months.”
7. Med shot, delegates
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicholas Kay, UN Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Somalia (SRSG):
“I am very concerned about recent allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by some AMISOM troops. I welcome the African Union’s commitment, reiterated by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission in New York on 24 September, to a full investigation in accordance with its zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.”
9. Med shot, delegates
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Maman Sidikou, Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia:
“Ultimately, defeating Al-Shabab will require immediate provision of basic services to the population by the Federal Government of Somalia and AMISOM, as well as all the international partners. Time is not on our side. Al-Shabab will seek to continue to create chaos and fear in every opportunity in order to disrupt the every day life of the population.”
11. Med shot, delegates
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Maman Sidikou, Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia:
“I would like to conclude by informing the Council –as I did earlier today to the members of the African Union Peace and Security Council – that the chairperson of the African Union Commission her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has constituted an independent Multi-country panel to investigate the allegations of rape and sexual exploitation by AMISOM forces.”
13. Med shot, delegates
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Awale Ali Kullane, Somalia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations:
“Madame President, you will be aware that the president has written to you and other Security Council members on the issue of charcoal and illegal weapons, which continue to fund and supply Al-Shabbab. The Somali government hopes that the Council will support the request made by the President –my President – requesting further assistance from the Security Council in authorizing existing international maritime forces to take measures at sea to prevent the export of charcoal from Somalia and the delivery of weapons and military equipment into Somalia, a violation of the arms embargo.”
15. Wide shot, zoom out Security Council president
The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Nicholas Kay, said that despite some political gains, Somalia’s challenges remain significant, adding in that urgent action is needed to improve the security, development, political and humanitarian conditions across the country.
Briefing the Council via video link from Mogadishu, Kay appealed to all Somalia’s political institutions, including the Federal Parliament to focus on the urgent business of establishing the institutions and processes that will pave the way to longer term peace, stability and reconciliation.
On the humanitarian front, he said that the “situation in Somalia has continued to deteriorate. Over 3 million people need humanitarian or livelihood assistance in Somalia today. This includes over 1 million Somalis who cannot feed themselves, an increase of 20 percent in six months.”
Kay also said “I am very concerned about recent allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by some AMISOM troops. I welcome the African Union’s commitment, reiterated by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission in New York on 24 September, to a full investigation in accordance with its zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse.”
Finally, the UN Special Representative for Somalia stressed that Somalia’s problems are those of a country coming together, not a country falling apart.
Briefing the Council via video-teleconference from Addis Ababa, the head of the AMISON Maman Sidikou noted that the Somali National Army, supported by AMISON Forces have recovered 8 towns, including Al-Shabab’s stronghold and the de-facto capital “Barawe”, adding that the populations are enjoying their right to live in freedom from fear and cruelty.
He also said “defeating Al-Shabab will require immediate provision of basic services to the population by the Federal Government of Somalia and AMISOM, as well as all the international partners. Time is not on our side. Al-Shabab will seek to continue to create chaos and fear in every opportunity in order to disrupt the every day life of the population.”
Regarding the allegations on sexual of rape and sexual exploitation perpetrated by AMISON forces, Sidikou said that “the chairperson of the African Union Commission her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has constituted an independent Multi-country panel to investigate the allegations of rape and sexual exploitation by AMISOM forces.”
The Somalia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Awale Ali Kullane noted that a clear military defeat of Al-Shabab will only be possible through the joint effort of the Somali National Army and the AU Mission in Somalia AMISON.
He said “Madame President, you will be aware that the president has written to you and other Security Council members on the issue of charcoal and illegal weapons, which continue to fund and supply Al-Shabbab.”
Kullane added “the Somali government hopes that the Council will support the request made by the President –my President – requesting further assistance from the Security Council in authorizing existing international maritime forces to take measures at sea to prevent the export of charcoal from Somalia and the delivery of weapons and military equipment into Somalia, a violation of the arms embargo.”
For decades, Somalia has been driven by factional fighting and the recent spread of religious fanaticism in the guise of Al-Shabaab has only added to the beleaguered country’s woes.
In 2012, new Somali national institutions emerged as the country ended a transitional phase toward setting up a permanent, democratically-elected Government. Meanwhile, the Somali National Army (SNA) and the UN-backed African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have been pursuing a renewed offensive against Al-Shabaab insurgents, who in 2011 were forced to retreat from the capital, Mogadishu.
The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), which Nicholas Kay leads, was established in 2013 by the UN Security Council. It is mandated to support the Federal Government of Somalia with its peace and state building agenda and to strengthen Somalia's security sector, promote respect for human rights and women's empowerment and assist in the coordination of international assistance.
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