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STORY: UN / SOMALIA
TRT: 03:15
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH /
DATELINE: 22 MAY 2019, NEW YORK CITY
RECENT, NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations headquarters
22 MAY 2019, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Council
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Ursula Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Relief Coordinator:
“The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating due to severe drought conditions that have spread from northern and central areas throughout the country. Two consecutive rainy seasons have failed, resulting in critical water shortages, widespread crop failure and diminished livestock conditions. At this point in the season, any rainfall that is received will be too little and too late to reverse the impact of the drought. Since February, the acute food insecurity has already increased by ten percent. The situation is expected to worsen. By July 5.4 million people - including 1 million children - will be uncertain of their next meal.”
4. Wide shot, Council
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Ursula Mueller, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Relief Coordinator:
“For years, Somali civilians have borne the brunt of ongoing armed conflict and violence, which has continued to drive humanitarian needs and perpetuate internal displacement. Civilians are exposed to targeted attacks, assassinations and indiscriminate attacks. Children continue to be killed and maimed in grave violations. Mr. President, in 2018, Somalia recorded the highest number of forced child recruitment globally.”
6. Wide shot, Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Raisedon Zenenga, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM):
“The Federal Government’s reform efforts have encountered inevitable resistance. The economic reforms and security sector reforms in particular, entail dismantling a war economy that had flourished for decades. There are many vested interests which pose obstacles to increased accountability. Taking on these vested interests requires not only the determination, which the Federal Government has shown, but an inclusive approach of building relationships with all stakeholders to demonstrate that the reforms will yield benefits for the whole nation.”
8. Wide shot, Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Abukar Dahir Osman, Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Somalia to the United Nations:
“We cannot effectively implement the transition plan with one hand tied to our back due to the longstanding arms embargo. It is with this regret that decisions made here in the Security Council and UN headquarters, continue to impact negatively the military capabilities of our security forces in the fight against terrorist groups like al-Shabaab, a comparative advantage to Shabaab and continues to enjoy, as a result.”
10. Wide shot, Council
Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Relief Coordinator, Ursula Mueller, told the Security Council today (22 May) that “due to severe drought conditions” the humanitarian situation in Somalia “is rapidly deteriorating” and it is expected that “by July 5.4 million people - including 1 million children - will be uncertain of their next meal.”
Mueller said, “two consecutive rainy seasons have failed, resulting in critical water shortages, widespread crop failure and diminished livestock conditions” and added that “at this point in the season, any rainfall that is received will be too little and too late to reverse the impact of the drought.”
The humanitarian official said, “for years, Somali civilians have borne the brunt of ongoing armed conflict and violence, which has continued to drive humanitarian needs and perpetuate internal displacement.”
She said, “civilians are exposed to targeted attacks, assassinations and indiscriminate attacks. Children continue to be killed and maimed in grave violations” and “Somalia recorded the highest number of forced child recruitment globally.”
Briefing via teleconference from Mogadishu, the Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Raisedon Zenenga, said Federal Government’s reform efforts “have encountered inevitable resistance” as they “entail dismantling a war economy that had flourished for decades.”
Zenenga said, “taking on these vested interests requires not only the determination, which the Federal Government has shown, but an inclusive approach of building relationships with all stakeholders to demonstrate that the reforms will yield benefits for the whole nation.”
Somalian Ambassador Abukar Dahir Osman said the government “cannot effectively implement the transition plan with one hand tied to our back due to the longstanding arms embargo.”
Osman said, “it is with this regret that decisions made here in the Security Council and UN headquarters, continue to impact negatively the military capabilities of our security forces in the fight against terrorist groups like al-Shabaab, a comparative advantage to Shabaab and continues to enjoy, as a result.”
