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SOMALIA / SWAN PRESSER
STORY: SOMALIA / SWAN PRESSER
TRT: 3:06
SOURCE: UNSOM
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNSOM ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /NATS
DATELINE: 27 JANUARY 2020, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
1. Med shot, Spokesperson makes introductory remarks at the press conference
2. Wide shot, Spokesperson makes introductory remarks at the press conference
3. Close up, Swan, at the press conference
4. Wide shot, Spokesperson makes introductory remarks at the press conference
5. Med shot. Head of the UN Support Office in Somalia Lisa Filipetto
6. Med shot,Swan, and Abdelmoula, at the virtual press conference
7. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia:
“While enormous challenges remain and the road ahead, at times, looks long and hilly, it is important to acknowledge the progress that has been made. If we look at a range of measures – governance, the functioning of national and Federal Member State institutions, private sector investment, public financial management, delivery of services, to name a few – Somalia begins 2021 in a better place than 2011, and a better place than 2001, and a better place than the end of January 1991.”
8. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia:
“I also want to stress that, ultimately, the work of the United Nations is an expression of objectives communicated by the broader international community. Most of the programmatic work is funded through generous contributions by donor countries that have expressed eagerness to contribute to progress in Somalia and use UN entities as a vehicle for channeling that support to Somalis. So, really, while we speak of the United Nations, in this case it genuinely does represent a broader commitment of the international community, through our organization, to help the Somali people.”
FILE – 2017, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
9. Various shots, members of the Federal Parliament in a session to elect the federal president
27 JANUARY 2020, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
10. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia:
“In collective meetings with other international partners, and in bilateral meetings, we have stressed the importance of reaching a common understanding on next steps prior to February 8, in order to avoid any uncertainty.”
FILE
11. Wide shot, Clan delegates queue at a polling centre
12. Med shot, Clan delegates queue at a polling centre
13. Med shot, election official stamps ballot papers
14. Wide shot, Clan delegates casting their votes
27 JANUARY 2020, MOGADISHU, SOMALIA
15. SOUNDBITE (English) James Swan, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia:
“We continue to urge Somali leaders [to show] goodwill, to redouble their efforts to resolve the outstanding issues of implementation of the electoral process and resolve those issues through dialogue and to reach agreement on the way forward for the good of the country.”
16. Wide shot, street shot of Mogadishu
17. Med shot, Somali flag blowing in the wind
18. Wide shot, vehicles driving through a street in Mogadishu
As Somalia crosses its 30th anniversary since the outbreak its civil war, senior United Nations officials today paid tribute to the courage and resilience of Somali citizens who have persevered through some of the “toughest conditions in any country on the planet over the past three decades.”
“While enormous challenges remain and the road ahead, at times, looks long and hilly, it is important to acknowledge the progress that has been made,” said the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan.
“If we look at a range of measures – governance, the functioning of national and Federal Member State institutions, private sector investment, public financial management, delivery of services, to name a few – Somalia begins 2021 in a better place than 2011, and a better place than 2001, and a better place than the end of January 1991,” he added, referring the collapse of the government of President Siad Barre in January 1991.
The UN envoy was addressing the media at a virtual press conference in Mogadishu, at which he and other senior UN officials spoke about the range of the world body’ support over the past year but also for 2021
Apart from James Swan, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) – was the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, Adam Abdelmoula, who also serves as Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Coordinator for the country, and, from Nairobi, the Head of the UN Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS), Assistant Secretary-General Lisa Filipetto.
In addition to UNSOS and UNSOM, there are more than 20 UN agencies, funds and programmes working with Somalis in a wide range of areas. These include long-term development and immediate humanitarian needs, as well as UNSOM’s ‘good offices,’ which refer to its mediating role in resolving differences and disputes.
“I also want to stress that, ultimately, the work of the United Nations is an expression of objectives communicated by the broader international community,” Swan said.
“Most of the programmatic work is funded through generous contributions by donor countries that have expressed eagerness to contribute to progress in Somalia and use UN entities as a vehicle for channeling that support to Somalis,” he added. “So, really, while we speak of the United Nations, in this case it genuinely does represent a broader commitment of the international community, through our Organization, to help the Somali people.”
Over recent months, UNSOM has been involved in efforts to advance the country’s national elections.
Along with other international partners, the UN Mission has been urging Somalia’s political leaders to pursue compromise and dialogue to progress with the implementation of an electoral agreement which had been reached on 17 September last year – and which has, currently, been at an impasse.
“In collective meetings with other international partners, and in bilateral meetings, we have stressed the importance of reaching a common understanding on next steps prior to February 8, in order to avoid any uncertainty,” Swan said, adding that on various occasions the international partners have expressed their opposition to parallel or alternative processes, and made clear that there must be no violence.
“We continue to urge Somali leaders [to show] goodwill, to redouble their efforts to resolve the outstanding issues of implementation of the electoral process and resolve those issues through dialogue and to reach agreement on the way forward for the good of the country” Swan said.
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