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SOMALIA / SWAN UN DAY
STORY: SOMALIA / SWAN UN DAY
TRT: 3:25
SOURCE: UNSOM
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 24 OCTOBER 2020, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
24 OCTOBER 2020, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
1. Aerial shot, Mogadishu, Somalia
2. Zoom out, UNSOM spokesperson in conference room
3. Wide shot, Swan on screen
4. Med shot, Swan at virtual press conference
5. Pan right, screen to Swan at press conference
6. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, United Nations:
“Somalia has been a proud and full member of the United Nations since its independence 60 years ago. Both the UN and Somalia have worked together throughout that time, and even before as the United Nations supported progress towards independence in 1960.”
7. Wide shot, Swan at virtual press conference
8. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, United Nations:
“I would note that the United Nations has been here in Somalia through good times and bad. Even in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when there were very few other external actors operating in Somalia, the United Nations was steadfast through its agencies, funds and programmes, and through an ongoing small, political office to continue engagement and to try to support improvement during that period.”
9. Wide shot, Swan on screen
10. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, United Nations:
“While disappointed that it does not reflect ‘one person, one vote,’ that we nonetheless want this agreed model to succeed. No one has any interest in a failed political process in Somalia. We also, of course, want to make sure that the process proceeds with maximum transparency and accountability.”
11. Wide shot, Swan on screen
12. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, United Nations:
“Beyond the elections that will take place in this cycle for parliament and then for president, we think it’s important to remember that democracy is more than just elections. It’s about building a set of institutions in the country that can support giving people a voice and role in selecting their leaders.”
13. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, United Nations:
“There’s work to be done right now to make this process as good as possible, but then we need to urgently look ahead to the next cycle and help Somalis put in place systems that ensure we do get to ‘one person, one vote’ in another four years.”
14. Wide shot, Swan leaving conference room
Marking United Nations Day, the UN envoy to Somalia on Saturday (24 Oct) highlighted the long-running partnership between the world body and the country and reaffirmed the organization’s support for Somalis now and in the future.
At a virtual press conference on Mogadishu, UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan said the UN was committed to strong cooperation and alignment, and support for national priorities and objectives.
The date of 24 October has been celebrated as United Nations Day since 1948; it marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.
In his remarks, the UN envoy spoke of the world body’s multifaceted role which combines it being a set of principles enshrined in the UN Charter and other documents outlining how countries should interact and meet collective aspirations, a grouping of specialized institutions with expertise in areas important to global progress, and its role as a gathering of its Member States coming together to make decisions collectively.
Swan noted that Somalia’s involvement with the United Nations goes back to even before its independence, while the world body has been a resolute partner and constant presence.
“Somalia has been a proud and full member of the United Nations since its independence 60 years ago. Both the UN and Somalia have worked together throughout that time, and even before as the United Nations supported progress towards independence in 1960,” he said.
“I would note,” he added, “that the United Nations has been here in Somalia through good times and bad. Even in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when there were very few other external actors operating in Somalia, the United Nations was steadfast through its agencies, funds and programmes, and through an ongoing small, political office to continue engagement and to try to support improvement during that period.”
The UN Special Representative fielded questions which included the world body’s position on Somalia’s national elections.
He noted that the United Nations and a wide array of international partners had advocated for a ‘one person, one vote’ model, as enshrined in the Somali Constitution and supported over many years by Somali leaders, as well as endorsed by the UN Security Council. However, the recent meetings held by Somali leaders in Dhusamareeb and Mogadishu had led to agreement on an indirect model which has received support from a broad array of the country’s political actors.
Swan said the UN continues to believe that Somalis deserve the opportunity to vote for their leaders. He said the UN was disappointed that it does not represent ‘one person, one vote’ but wanted this agreed model to succeed. He added, “No one has any interest in a failed political process in Somalia. We also, of course, want to make sure that the process proceeds with maximum transparency and accountability.”
He expressed the hope that adjustments made to the agreed model would indeed be respected, including the commitment to 30 per cent women’s representation in the federal parliament, and that the conduct of the selection process in held a way that adds to the diversity of the selection process, involving civil society, community leaders and Federal Member States, for example.
The Special Representative emphasized that there are other steps Somalia could make progress on in on its path to greater democratization.
“Beyond the elections that will take place in this cycle for parliament and then for president, we think it’s important to remember that democracy is more than just elections. It’s about building a set of institutions in the country that can support giving people a voice and role in selecting their leaders.” Swan said.
He noted the importance of efforts to secure elements of the country’s revised Constitution that could be agreed upon, including a number of technical provisions that could garner broad support, as well as the establishment of other institutions of government, such as human rights and judicial services commissions.
Swan also said now was the time to start preparing for a ‘one person, one vote’ electoral model for Somalia’s next national elections cycle. He said the UN’s ambition remains to get to ‘one person, one vote.’ He added, “There’s work to be done right now to make this process as good as possible, but then we need to urgently look ahead to the next cycle and help Somalis put in place systems that ensure we do get to ‘one person, one vote’ in another four years.”
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