7674th Security Council Meeting: Situation in Somalia

Despite gains on electoral front, Somalia’s fragile security landscape threatens to undermine hard-won progress, top official tells Security Council at 7674th meeting.

• Categories: Meetings & Events / Security Council
• Video Length: 02:42:01
• Production Date: 19 April 2016
• Asset Language: Arabic; Chinese; English; French; Russian; Spanish
• Personal Subject: MICHAEL KEATING; HASSAN S. MOHAMUD
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS ASSISTANCE MISSION IN SOMALIA - UNSOM; AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN SOMALIA – AMISOM
• Subject Topical: TERRORISM; ARMED GROUPS; SECURITY SITUATIONS; POLITICAL AFFAIRS
• Geographic Subject: SOMALIA
• MAMS Id: 1605990
• Parent Id: 1605021

Description

While Somalia was making progress on its long road back to peace and stability, with preparations well afoot for elections in August and a constitutional review, Al-Shabaab remained a potent threat that risked undercutting hard-earned gains, the senior United Nations official in that country told the Security Council today.

Michael Keating, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), briefed the Council, providing a snapshot of recent developments. Stressing that progress was not irreversible, he pointed to last week’s agreement on an election model that included a choice of candidates in polls throughout Somalia and the setting aside of 30 per cent of seats in both houses of Parliament for women. That breakthrough had given momentum to review a provisional Federal Constitution that would guarantee Somalia’s longer-term stability and democracy.

Turning to looming threats, he said Al-Shabaab, which was carrying out repeated asymmetric and conventional attacks, would try to disrupt an election process that threatened its agenda, he said, paying tribute to the bravery of members of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

Reporting progress in economic management, Mr. Keating said security and prosperity depended on reversing Somalia’s dependency on aid and countering the root causes of conflict and violent extremism through investment in jobs, education, the rule of law, respect for human rights and capable security and counter-terrorism forces. It would also mean tackling immediate concerns such as drought in Somaliland and Puntland, which was liable to generate food insecurity while strengthening the hand of violent extremists. On the humanitarian front, he expressed concern over the drought threatening food security in those drought-stricken areas.

Also addressing the Council about pressing concerns, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of Somalia, appealed for continued international support and a lifting of the current sanctions.

“Somalia has turned a corner and there is absolutely no turning back to the dark past,” said Mr. Mohamud, who expressed frustration that the security environment was inhibiting the development of governing institutions and remained a root cause of the humanitarian situation.

Vowing to defeat Al-Shabaab, he asked the Council to lift the United Nations arms embargo on Somalia, saying it would help speed up the development of national security forces while enhancing Somalia’s ability to defeat terrorism, protect its people and safeguard its future.

The Council also heard from Téte António, Permanent Observer for the African Union. He described the security situation as fluid, despite gains made by AMISOM forces against Al-Shabaab. Given the current situation, he said there was clear justification for the Council to renew the AMISOM mandate, he said, as the Mission refocused its strategy to embrace more targeted operations against Al-Shabaab.

Discussing the situation in Somalia, the United Kingdom’s representative called 2016 a crucial year. “The electoral process needs to be transparent, deliver on time and be inclusive,” he said, calling for more pledges of support for security-sector reform. His counterpart from Egypt expected the August elections to lead to stability and democracy, so long as they took place within the determined time frame, with adequate funding and a full participation of women and youth.

Ukraine’s delegate, expressing deep concern over Al-Shabaab’s recruitment of children from schools and mosques, said AMISOM needed strong child protection elements. Senegal’s representative noted increased interest among transnational corporations in Somalia’s mining resources, while his counterpart from Venezuela spoke in favour of lifting the arms embargo. Representatives of the United States and Malaysia highlighted parallel concerns, with both pointing out the way El Niño had aggravated the humanitarian situation.

Representatives of the Russian Federation, Uruguay, Spain, Japan, New Zealand, France, Angola and China also delivered statements.

The meeting began at 10:50 a.m. and ended at 12:46 p.m.