TURKEY / SOMALIA WRAP

Somalia needs its own strong and trustworthy security and justice institutions to consolidate progress, secure borders and protect people, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Friday. TRT /AMISOM / UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:30
• Production Date: 1 June 2012
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: AFRICAN UNION MISSION IN SOMALIA – AMISOM
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL AFFAIRS; LAW; INTERNATIONAL LAW; POLITICAL CONDITIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: SOMALIA; TURKEY
• MAMS Id: U120601c

Description

STORY: TURKEY / SOMALIA WRAP
TRT: 2.30
SOURCE: UNTV / TRT
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 1 JUNE 2012, NEW YORK CITY / 1 JUNE 2012, ISTANBUL, TURKEY / FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters

1 JUNE 2012, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, press conference area
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Omar Jamal, Chargé d'Affaires, Permanent Mission of Somalia to the United Nations:
“Both the community, the Somali Government and the diaspora and the elders, have all of them committed in the period that ends the transition, which is August the 20th. The mandate of the transition expires on August 20th, by then they have to form a parliament, elect a new president, appoint a prime minister. I think the roadmap and the expiration of the mandate has already been reconfirmed in this meeting.
4. Med shot, journalist
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Omar Jamal, Chargé d'Affaires, Permanent Mission of Somalia to the United Nations:
“Two days ago the President visited the Alamada area in the outskirts of the city. On his way back to the capital he was ambushed and one of his soldiers was killed, bodyguard, and thank god he was safe and sound and now he is attending the conference in Istanbul, Turkey.”
6. Med shot, photographer
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Omar Jamal, Chargé d'Affaires, Permanent Mission of Somalia to the United Nations:
“Now the war is taking place mostly in the small towns outside the city and during the time where the Somali Government is slowly re-establishing the national security force, which hopefully eventually they will take over the security sector of the country. That’s why the Somali Government repeatedly asked for the lifting of the arms embargo on the country, in the hope that we will rebuild not only the national security force, but also the coast guard.”
8. Med shot, journalist

TRT - 1 JUNE 2012, ISTANBUL, TURKEY

9. Zoom out, conference
10. Pan right, conference participants
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Ban Ki-moon, United Nations Secretary-General:
“In the face of terrorism, piracy and drought, Somalia needs solidarity. Somalia has a private sector that can help rebuild the country. Somalia has women and youth, if given the opportunity, can transform the nation. But partners have to step up and do their part. We need a comprehensive investment plan that involves all the sectors. “
12. Med shot, delegates
13. Wide shot, conference

Storyline

Omar Jamal, Chargé d'Affaires of the Permanent Mission of Somalia to the United Nations, briefed reporters today (1 June) in New York to give an update on the Somalia Conference being held in Istanbul, Turkey. He also touched on other issues affecting the East African nation, including the recent assassination attempt on President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.

Jamal informed that all the parties have committed to end the transitional period on 20 August this year. He said that “by then they have to form a parliament, elect a new president” and “appoint a prime minister.”

After decades of warfare, the Horn of Africa country is undergoing a peace and national reconciliation process, with the country’s Transitional Federal Institutions currently implementing a roadmap, devised in September last year, that spells out priority measures to be carried out before the current transitional governing arrangements end on 20 August.

Next month, the country will adopt a new provisional constitution and members of parliament will be selected by Somalia’s elders, with assistance from a Technical Selection Committee, to ensure that the nominees meet the criteria set out in an earlier agreement.

Despite these successes, Jamal noted that on 30 May after visiting the town of Alamada, President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed “was ambushed and one of his soldiers was killed.”

Four suspects have been arrested and the rebel group Al-Shabaab has taken responsibility for the attempted assassination.

Jamal pointed out that the Government now controls the Mogadishu area and “the war is taking place mostly in the small towns outside the city.”

He expressed hope that the arms embargo on the country will be lifted in order for the Government to re-establish the national security force, “which hopefully eventually they will take over the security sector of the country.”

Meanwhile in Istanbul, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the international community to provide support to the State in its next political phase.

In his remarks at the second Istanbul Conference on Somalia, stressed that financial resources as well as engagement with the country are essential to help it tackle some of its major challenges, including terrorism, piracy and drought.

He said that “Somalia needs solidarity” and a “comprehensive investment plan that involves all the sectors. “

Known as Istanbul II, the two-day conference brings together the private sector, donors, Somali authorities, the UN and civil society to focus on the country's recovery and development as well as support for Somalia’s political transition.

The UN chief reiterated the UN’s support to help Somalia establish its own security and justice institutions that can consolidate progress in the long-term, and underscored the need to build the country’s capacity to uphold the law and fight impunity.