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7873rd Security Council Meeting: Situation in Somalia
Michael Keating, Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), urged candidates in the forthcoming 8 February presidential elections to adhere to the code of conduct they had signed, and to ensure that the final stage of the electoral process was conducted according to the agreed rules. He emphasized the need to resist pressure to change the polling date on political grounds.
“The electoral process has held up a mirror to Somalis in which they have seen the good and the bad regarding how power is exercised,” he said. While the parliamentary stage of the elections had been marred by instances of bribery, vote-buying, intimidation and delays, most of the contests had been conducted correctly and watched widely on social media.
Despite its problems, the electoral process had seen encouraging outcomes, he continued. The Upper House of Parliament had come into existence, comprising 54 members chosen on the basis of federal member state rather than clan; the electorate had expanded from 135 male elders in 2012, to more than 13,000, 30 per cent of whom were women; and voting had taken place in six locations around the country, reflecting emerging State structures.
On the security front, he said the Al-Shabaab terrorist group remained a potent threat, in part because Somalia’s approach to security had depended largely on military operations. It was imperative that the incoming President and Government agree on the architecture, ownership, funding and purpose of the Somali National Security Forces, he stressed. “Progress is fragile and reversible, and fraught with complexity,” he noted. However, the stage was being set for Somalia to move into a new phase in terms of sustaining peace, resolving violence and building a functioning federal State.
Also briefing were Francisco Caetano José Madeira, Special Representative and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and Asha Gelle Dirie, founder and Executive Director of the Asha Gelle Foundation and Chairperson of the Committee of Goodwill Ambassadors.
Mr. Madeira said AMISOM was working hand in hand with the Somali National Security Forces to provide a safe environment in which the political process could thrive. Despite logistical, financial and operational challenges, the Mission supported Somali operations and training, while its police units carried out their mandated tasks in Mogadishu, Baidoa, Kismayo, Beledweyne, Jowhar and Adaado, he said, noting the limited nature of AMISOM’s resources. Recovering enemy-controlled areas would require the deployment of additional forces, as well as combat and stabilization capabilities. He urged the United Nations and others to provide one-time support to enable AMISOM to conduct specific military operations ahead of its imminent drawdown. There was also need for a comprehensive approach to security anchored by functioning State institutions, democratic governance, humanitarian assistance and capable national security forces.
Ms. Dirie described the task of helping women secure 30 per cent of the seats in Parliament, thereby advancing their political empowerment, as challenging. Working to fulfil that goal entailed mapping the distribution of parliamentary seats per clan and launching an advocacy campaign to secure the involvement of political leaders and clan elders. A massive structural transformation must now aim to advance women’s representation and Somalia’s democratization, she said.
In the ensuing discussion, Abdusalam H. Omer, Somalia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Investment Promotion said the country had made historic progress with the holding of its first national elections in decades. “Democratization is not easy,” he emphasized in describing the process. “It was a marathon in tough terrain, rather than a race in a perfectly designed stadium with guiding tracks.” Nonetheless, Somalia was committed to national development and was winning the war against Al-Shabaab, he added. Going forward, the Government would partner with all stakeholders to complete the constitutional review, strengthen democratic institutions, as well as ratify and implement relevant political party laws. Investment, education and jobs must accompany enhanced security nationwide. Noting the deteriorating humanitarian situation, poised to worsen as drought conditions spread, he appealed to the Council, the donor community, as well as to the public and private sectors to address Somalia’s pressing support needs.
Uruguay’s representative urged the federal Government of Somalia to address the recruitment of children by armed groups, as well as attacks against schools and hospitals.
Sweden’s representative said that Ms. Gelle’s presence was a clear demonstration that women were breaking new ground in Somalia and could provide a model for other countries.
The meeting began at 10:18 a.m. and ended at 11:20 a.m.
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