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7491st Security Council Meeting on Situation in Somalia
The Security Council today decided to authorize the Member States of the African Union to maintain the deployment of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) until 30 May 2016, agreeing with the Secretary-General that conditions would not be appropriate for a United Nations peacekeeping mission in the country until the end of that year, at the earliest.
Unanimously adopting resolution 2232 (2015) under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the Council also decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Special Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) until 30 March 2016, underlining the importance that both entities strengthen their relationship to ensure support for the country’s political process. (See Press Release SC/11972).
For AMISOM, the Council authorized the deployment of up to 22,126 uniformed personnel, and requested that, in line with the recommendations of the Joint African Union-United Nations Review, the African Union undertake a “structured and targeted” reconfiguration of the Mission to enable a surge in its efficiency, including by strengthening command and control structures and enhancing cross-sector operations. The Council requested the African Union to develop a new concept of operations for the Mission, in close collaboration with the United Nations, by 30 October 2015.
For UNSOM, the Council underscored the importance of its support to the political process in Somalia, in particular the preparation of an “inclusive, realistic and legitimate” electoral process in 2016, requesting it, in the context of an evolving security situation, to strengthen its presence in all capitals of Interim Regional Administrations. The Council also agreed with the Secretary-General that deployment of civilian planning in regional capitals should be a priority in order to improve joint planning between military and civilian components.
On the national security front, the Council stressed the importance of accelerating improved coordination of Somali security institutions, welcoming the adoption of the Guulwade (Victory) Plan as a “critical step” towards developing a more effective national army. More broadly, it welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to an inclusive and credible electoral process in 2016. It expressed concern at continued human rights violations, underscoring the need to end impunity for such crimes.
Welcoming the adoption of the resolution, Somalia’s representative stressed that progress in his country since the 2012 transition had been strong, and that Al-Shabaab was becoming weaker and controlling less territory. But, as had been seen in recent attacks, there was still a need to work together to eliminate the threat posed by that group, both in the country and in east Africa. His Government continued to work towards assuming complete responsibility for security, having launched the “Guulwade” plan for ensuring a fully integrated Somali National Army and the “Hegen” plan for the police.
On the political front, he said, milestones had been achieved, including confirmation by the Federal Parliament of members of the National Independent Electoral Commission and the Boundaries and Federation Commission, as well as the formation of the interim regional administrations. The country’s President and Prime Minister were both committed to ensure that Vision 2016 and its objectives were implemented.
