Security Council

5579^th Meeting (PM)

Security council approves African protection, training mission in Somalia,

 

unanimously adopting resolution 1725 (2006)

 

The Security Council today, emphasizing the need for continued credible dialogue between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts, authorized the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and African Union member States to establish a protection and training mission in Somalia, to be reviewed after an initial period of six months.

Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter and through its unanimous adoption of resolution 1725 (2006), the Council mandated the mission to:  monitor progress by the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts in implementing agreements reached in their dialogue; ensure the free movement and safe passage of all involved with the dialogue process; and maintain and monitor security in Baidoa.

Reiterating that the Transitional Federal Charter and Institutions offered the only route to achieving peace and stability in Somalia, the Council further mandated the mission to protect the members of the Transitional Federal Institutions and Government, as well as their key infrastructures, and to train the Transitional Federal Institutions’ security forces to enable them to provide their own security and to help facilitate the re-establishment of Somalia’s national security forces.

Endorsing the specification in the IGAD Deployment Plan that those States that border Somalia would not deploy troops in Somalia, the Council decided that measures of the arms embargo imposed by resolution 733 (1992) and further elaborated in resolution 1425 (2002) would not apply to supplies of weapons and military equipment and technical training and assistance intended solely for the support of, or use by, the force.

Affirming that the resolution’s provisions aim solely at supporting peace and stability in Somalia through an inclusive political process and creating the conditions for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Somalia, the Council urged the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts to fulfil the commitments they had made, resume without delay peace talks on the basis of the agreements reached in Khartoum, and adhere to agreements reached in their dialogue.

The Council also stated its intention to consider taking measures against those that sought to prevent or block a peaceful dialogue process, overthrow the Transitional Federal Institutions by force, or take action that further threatens regional stability.

Background

The situation in Somalia has changed drastically since the Transitional Federal Government was formed.  There are two major players in Somalia, namely the internationally recognized Transitional Federal Government and the new reality represented by the Union of Islamic Courts.  The latter controls Mogadishu and continues to increase its sphere of influence.

According to the Deployment Plan for the IGAD peacekeeping mission in Somalia, which was before the Council today in a note verbale of 16 October from the Permanent Mission of Kenya to the Council President, the lack of clarity of the political agenda of the Islamic Courts, the uncertain situation in Mogadishu, the alleged involvement of external players and countries in Somalia, as well as the unclear whereabouts of the warlords and the existence of numerous militias from a clan-divided society with deep mistrust, have contributed to a volatile security situation in Mogadishu and throughout the country.  That was manifest in the resumption of hostilities on 9 July and the capture by the Union of Islamic Courts of areas towards Baidoa and Beletweine, formerly under the control of the Transitional Federal Government.

The Deployment Plan, which acknowledges the international legitimacy of the Transitional Federal Government, seeks to deny external support to all other parties through political pressure and harness the military strength of the Union of Islamic Courts for the national good, by incorporating the militia into the national military and police forces.  The Plan also seeks to persuade the Islamic Court to consent to the peacekeeping operation.  The larger strategic goal for the mission is a peaceful and stable Somalia, pursuing prosperity and development, in normalcy.  The proposal also contains, among other things, details of its concept of operations, the mission’s components and structure.

The meeting began at 4:23 p.m. and adjourned at 4:38 p.m.

Resolution

Following is the complete text of resolution 1725 (2006):

“The Security Council,

“Recalling its previous resolutions concerning the situation in Somalia, in particular resolution 733 (1992) of 23 January 1992, resolution 1356 (2001) of 19 June 2001, resolution 1425 (2002) of 22 January 2002, and the statements of its President, in particular that of 13 July 2006 (S/PRST/2006/31),

“Reaffirming its respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, and unity of Somalia,

“Reiterating its commitment to a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the situation in Somalia through the Transitional Federal Charter, and stressing the importance of broad-based and representative institutions and of an inclusive political process, as envisaged in the Transitional Federal Charter,

“Reiterating its insistence that all Member States, in particular those in the region, should refrain from any action in contravention of the arms embargo and related measures, and should take all actions necessary to prevent such contraventions,

“Emphasizing its willingness to engage with all parties in Somalia who are committed to achieving a political settlement through peaceful and inclusive dialogue, including the Union of Islamic Courts,

“Underlining the importance for stability in Somalia of broad-based and representative institutions and of an inclusive political process, commending the crucial efforts of the League of Arab States and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to promote and encourage political dialogue between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts, expressing its full support for these initiatives, and affirming its readiness to assist as appropriate an inclusive political process in Somalia,

“Urging both the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts to unite behind and continue a process of dialogue, recommit to the principles of the 22 June 2006 Khartoum Declaration and the agreements made at the 2-4 September 2006 Khartoum meeting, and establish a stable security situation inside Somalia,

“Calling upon the Union of Islamic Courts to cease any further military expansion and reject those with an extremist agenda or links to international terrorism,

“Deploring the bombingin Baidoa on 30 November 2006 and expressing the Security Council’s concern regarding the continued violence inside Somalia,

“Welcoming the agreement reached between the Union of Islamic Courts and the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development dated 2 December 2006, and encouraging IGAD to continue discussions with the Transitional Federal Institutions,

“Calls upon all parties inside Somalia and all other States to refrain from action that could provoke or perpetuate violence and violations of human rights, contribute to unnecessary tension and mistrust, endanger the ceasefire and political process, or further damage the humanitarian situation,

“Taking note of the note verbale dated 16 October 2006 from the Permanent Mission of Kenya to the United Nations to the President of the Security Council transmitting the text of the Deployment Plan for a Peacekeeping Mission of IGAD in Somalia (IGASOM),

“Determining that the situation in Somalia continues to constitute a threat to international peace and security in the region,

“Acting under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations,

“1.   Reiterates that the Transitional Federal Charter and Institutions offer the only route to achieving peace and stability in Somalia, emphasizes the need for continued credible dialogue between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts, and affirms therefore that the following provisions of the present resolution, based on the decisions of IGAD and the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, aim solely at supporting peace and stability in Somalia through an inclusive political process and creating the conditions for the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Somalia;

“2.   Urges the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts to fulfil commitments they have made, resume without delay peace talks on the basis of the agreements reached in Khartoum, and adhere to agreements reached in their dialogue, and states its intention to consider taking measures against those that seek to prevent or block a peaceful dialogue process, overthrow the Transitional Federal Institutions by force, or take action that further threatens regional stability;

“3.   Decides to authorize IGAD and Member States of the African Union to establish a protection and training mission in Somalia, to be reviewed after an initial period of six months by the Security Council with a briefing by IGAD, with the following mandate drawing on the relevant elements of the mandate and concept of operations specified in the Deployment Plan for IGASOM:

(a)   To monitor progress by the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts in implementing agreements reached in their dialogue;

(b)   To ensure free movement and safe passage of all those involved with the dialogue process;

(c)   To maintain and monitor security in Baidoa;

(d)   To protect members of the Transitional Federal Institutions and Government as well as their key infrastructure;

(e)   To train the Transitional Federal Institutions’ security forces to enable them to provide their own security and to help facilitate the re-establishment of national security forces of Somalia;

“4.   Endorses the specification in the IGAD Deployment Plan that those States that border Somalia would not deploy troops to Somalia;

“5.   Decides that the measures imposed by paragraph 5 of resolution 733 (1992) and further elaborated in paragraphs 1 and 2 of resolution 1425 (2002) shall not apply to supplies of weapons and military equipment and technical training and assistance intended solely for the support of or use by the force referred to in paragraph 3 above;

“6.   Encourages Member States to provide financial resources for IGASOM;

“7.   Requests the Secretary-General, in consultation with the Commission of the African Union and the secretariat of IGAD, to report to the Security Council on the implementation of the mandate of IGASOM within thirty (30) days, and every sixty (60) days thereafter;

“8.   Emphasizes the continued contribution made to Somalia’s peace and security by the arms embargo, demands that all Member States, in particular those of the region, fully comply with it, and reiterates its intention to consider urgently ways to strengthen its effectiveness, including through targeted measures in support of the arms embargo;

“9.   Decides to remain actively seized of the matter.”

Explanations of Vote

Speaking after adoption of the resolution, JOHN R. BOLTON ( United States) said he was pleased to have co-sponsored the resolution with all of his African colleagues on the Council.  In Somalia, the security situation was deteriorating and tensions continued to run high, which was of deep concern to the United States.  Like many other Member States, his country was concerned about the prospects for a wider regional conflict.  However, the United States viewed the deployment of a regional force to Somalia as a key element in preventing conflict.

Through the International Somalia Contact Group, he said his country was committed to working with its international partners to encourage dialogue among Somali partners.  Despite those efforts and the 22 June Khartoum Declaration between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts, the situation had not improved.

Although both parties had violated the terms of the Khartoum Declaration, the Union of Islamic Courts had done so through concrete military expansion, he said.  It had sought to further destabilize the Horn of Africa region through irredentist claims on the Somali-populated regions of neighbouring States and support for insurgent groups in Ethiopia.

He said that the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the African Union had put forth a proposal aimed at helping to restore stability in Somalia through deployment of a security, training, and protection mission.  The primary purpose of that deployment was to help stabilize Somalia by providing security in Baidoa, and protection and training for the Transitional Federal Institutions, and not to engage in offensive actions against the Union of Islamic Courts.

The United States strongly believed that a sustainable solution in Somalia should be based on credible dialogue between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts, and it continued to work with its African and other partners towards that goal, he said.  The continued military expansion of the Union of Islamic Courts, however, had not helped to promoted dialogue and, in fact, had created the need for deployment of a regional force to stabilize the situation inside Somalia.

He said his country supported the regional proposal and viewed the deployment of the IGAD Peacekeeping Mission in Somalia (IGASOM) as a critical element to help resume credible dialogue between the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts.  That would also help to create the conditions for Ethiopian and Eritrean disengagement from Somalia.

The deployment of IGASOM was only one of the critical elements, however, of what must be a comprehensive plan to reach a durable solution in Somalia, he stressed.  A political settlement was needed, and dialogue towards that must resume.  A security protocol, including a verifiable ceasefire and military disengagement, was the next step towards a longer-term solution.

BASILE IKOUEBE ( Congo) welcomed today’s adoption today by the Council of the resolution, which supported the efforts undertaken for some time by the African Union and IGAD to bring peace back to Somalia.  For years, the country had felt abandoned by the international community.  Last week in Abuja, Somalia’s Prime Minister had asked African leaders to do everything possible to ensure that the Council adopted the draft being negotiated at the time in New York.  He welcomed the fact that the Council had adopted the text unanimously.

He added that he was particularly thankful to the United States, which had joined the three African members of the Council in supporting the draft, which was an important resolution for Africa.  With its adoption, IGAD would be in a position to deploy a training and protection force, the purpose of which had been and would remain the restoration of peace in Somalia and assistance in restoring dialogue among all parties.  The African Union supported the Transitional Federal Institutions and encouraged dialogue with the Union of Islamic Courts.  All States, in particular neighbouring countries, had been invited to strictly respect the resolution and the arms embargo.  That was significant proof of their commitment to the restoration of peace in Somalia.

TUVAKO N. MANONGI (United Republic of Tanzania) thanked the United States for co-sponsoring the draft and for its support.  While it was not a perfect resolution and did not offer all the answers to the challenges facing Somalia, it was, however, a step in the right direction and a step that needed to be taken.  Encouraging all parties to work together towards the restoration of peace and security in Somalia, the resolution also responded to a degree to the concerns raised by IGAD and the African Union, which would continue to need support, not only of the Council but also of the international community in supporting Somalia as it walked a tenuous road towards peace and stability in Somalia.

Speaking in his national capacity, Council President NASSIR ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSER ( Qatar) said he had supported the draft out of a need to respect Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as its political independence and the unity of its territory.  He reaffirmed his readiness to undertake all measures that would contribute to alleviating the intensity of the crisis in that country.  He also reaffirmed the need to deal with that situation cautiously, and without rushing to any preconceived judgements, in order to spread peace and the rule of law throughout Somalia.

He said his positive vote had stemmed from his understanding that the text aimed to encourage all Somali parties to arrive at a peaceful settlement through a comprehensive dialogue among all parties.  It was important that the resolution not have a negative impact and that it not be construed as being directed against a certain party at the expense of another; that must be kept in mind when the resolution was implemented.

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For information media • not an official record