Security Council

7188^th Meeting (AM)

Security Council, Adopting Resolution 2158 (2014), Extends Assistance

 

Mission in Somalia for One Year under Broader Mandate

The Security Council today extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) for one year and expanded it to include support to the Federal Government and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) by providing strategic policy advice on peacebuilding and State-building, including in the lead-up to elections in 2016.

Unanimously adopting resolution 2158 (2014), the Council welcomed UNSOM as an integrated mission, as well as the re-opening of the United Nations Common Compound in Mogadishu on 24 April.  It encouraged the United Nations Country Team to continue relocating to the capital city as security conditions permit.

Under the broader mandate, the Mission was asked to support the Government and AMISOM in such areas as security sector reform and rule of law; maritime security; and strengthening of the justice institutions with the aim of ensuring accountability, particularly with respect to crimes against women and children.

The 15-member body condemned in the strongest terms recent terrorist attacks perpetrated by Al-Shabaab, as well as reports of grave human rights violations against children, and urged the Federal Government to implement action plans on children and armed conflict and to bring perpetrators to justice.

By a related term, it stressed the importance it attached to UNSOM working with the Federal Government in supporting national stabilization and coordinating international assistance, in particular in areas recovered from Al-Shabaab.

Further to the text, the Council expressed deep concern at the humanitarian situation, highlighting that 2.9 million required assistance and underlining the risk of further deterioration.

The meeting began at 10:40 a.m. and ended at 10:42 a.m.

Resolution

The full text of resolution 2158 (2014) reads as follows:

“The Security Council,

“Recalling all its previous resolutions and statements of its President on the situation in Somalia,

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

“Commending the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) for its first 12 months of operation, and noting with appreciation UNSOM’s positive impact in supporting the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) in the peace and reconciliation process,

“Underlining the need for urgent progress in the development of a federal system, the review and implementation of the Somali Provisional Federal Constitution and preparations for elections in 2016,

“Expressing concern around the heightened tension in Baidoa and the potential for confrontation between Puntland and “Somaliland”, and encouraging in this regard the FGS to strengthen dialogue with Puntland and resume talks with “Somaliland” in order to find peaceful solutions in line with the Provisional Federal Constitution,

“Recognizing the primary responsibility of the FGS, with the support of the African Union in Somalia (AMISOM), UNSOM and international partners, in consolidating security and establishing basic governance and the rule of law, as well as providing humanitarian access and basic social services, in areas secured by AMISOM and the Somali Security Forces,

“Recalling the need for all parties to respect the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law and the United Nations Guiding Principles of humanitarian assistance,

“Welcoming the positive relationship between UNSOM and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), underlining the fundamental importance of both Missions working closely together in accordance with their respective Security Council mandates, and noting the need for continuing collaboration with the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM (UNSOA),

“Underlining the importance of UNSOM working closely with the Federal Government of Somalia, and in that context welcoming UNSOM’s plans to relocate outside of Mogadishu International Airport as well as expanding its presence and work into the regions as security conditions permit,

“Welcoming the achievements of the current joint Somali National Army (SNA) and AMISOM operations, underlining its expectation that these operations will continue, and commending the extraordinary bravery and sacrifices made by AMISOM and SNA personnel in pursuit of peace and stability in Somalia,

“Expressing concern that AMISOM has not yet established a Civilian Casualty Tracking Analysis and Response cell, the importance of which was stressed by Security Council resolutions 2124 (2013) and 2093 (2013),

“Expressing concern at the reports of violations of human rights, including extrajudicial killings, violence against women, children and journalists, arbitrary detention and pervasive sexual violence in Somalia, including in camps for internally displaced persons, and underscoring the need to end impunity, uphold human rights and to hold accountable those who commit such crimes,

“1.   Decides to extend UNSOM’s mandate for a period of 12 months as follows:

(a)   To provide United Nations “good offices” functions, supporting the Federal Government of Somalia’s peace and reconciliation process;

(b)   To support the Federal Government of Somalia, and AMISOM as appropriate, by providing strategic policy advice on peacebuilding and State-building, including on:

(i)   Governance, including public financial management;

(ii)  Security sector reform, rule of law (including police, justice and corrections within the framework of the United Nations Global Focal Point), disengagement of combatants, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, maritime security and mine action;

(iii)The development of a federal system; the constitutional review process and subsequent referendum on the constitution; and preparations for elections in 2016;

(c)   To assist the Federal Government of Somalia in coordinating international donor support, working with bilateral and multilateral partners, in full respect of the sovereignty of Somalia, in particular on:

(i)   Security sector assistance including with the Government’s requirements under the terms of the partial suspension of the arms embargo; and

(ii)  Maritime security;

(d)   To help build the capacity of the Federal Government of Somalia to:

(i)   Promote and protect human rights and women’s empowerment, including through the provision of Gender Advisers and Human Rights Advisers;

(ii)  Promote child protection and to implement the relevant Somali Government action plans on children and armed conflict, including through the provision of Child Protection Advisers;

(iii)Prevent conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence, including through the provision of Women’s Protection Advisers;

(iv)  Strengthen Somalia’s justice institutions and to help ensure accountability in particular with respect to crimes against women and children;

(e)   To monitor, help investigate and report to the Council on, and help prevent:

(i)   Any abuses or violations of human rights or violations of international humanitarian law committed in Somalia, including through the deployment of human rights observers;

(ii)  Any violations or abuses committed against children in Somalia;

(iii)Any violations or abuses committed against women, including all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict;

“2.   Welcomes the establishment of UNSOM as an integrated Mission under the strategic direction of the SRSG, welcomes also the re-opening of the United Nations Common Compound in Mogadishu on 24 April 2014, encourages the United Nations Country Team to continue relocating to Mogadishu as security conditions permit, and reiterates paragraph 5 of resolution 2102 (2013) and paragraph 17 of resolution 2124 (2013) regarding UNSOM’s structures and reporting lines;

“3.   Stresses the importance it attaches to UNSOM working with the Federal Government of Somalia in supporting the Government’s stabilization efforts and coordinating international assistance, in particular in areas recovered from Al Shabaab;

“4.   Encourages UNSOM, AMISOM and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) to continue developing and implementing joint activities, in accordance with their respective mandates, in support of peacebuilding and State-building in Somalia and in this regard, requests the SRSG to align closely United Nations Country Team activities in Somalia with the priorities of UNSOM and to coordinate United Nations activities with the FGS as well as the African Union (including AMISOM), IGAD, European Union and other regional, bilateral and multilateral partners;

“5.   Highlights that the long-term security of Somalia is dependent on the development of the SNA, underlines the importance of continued coordinated and transparent support from the international community to develop the SNA, further underlines the leadership role for the FGS in this process, and encourages Member States to support, as requested by the Security Council in paragraph 14 of resolution 2124 (2013), the SNA including through donations to the United Nations Trust Fund to provide non-lethal logistical support to the SNA when they are on joint operations with AMISOM and which are part of AMISOM’s overall Strategic Concept;

“6.   Reiterates the importance of UNSOM adhering to the Secretary-General’s Human Rights and Due Diligence Policy and the United Nations Zero-Tolerance Policy on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse;

“7.   Condemns in the strongest terms recent terrorist attacks perpetrated by Al-Shabaab in Somalia and the region, notes with concern the number of attacks in Mogadishu, expresses further concern that Al-Shabaab continue to carry out terrorist acts in Somalia, underlines the importance of holding perpetrators to account (in full compliance with international law), and reiterates that terrorist attacks will not lessen its resolve to support the peace and reconciliation process in Somalia;

“8.   Welcomes the recent deployment of a United Nations Guard Unit to strengthen security at UNSOM compounds;

“9.   Calls on the Federal Government of Somalia to develop a clear plan towards elections in 2016, including achieving key milestones such as a referendum on the constitution and the formation of interim state administrations, expresses its willingness to support such a plan, and in this context encourages close dialogue between the Federal Government of Somalia and appropriate regional administrations;

“10.  Expresses deep concern at the humanitarian situation in Somalia, highlights in particular that 2.9 million Somali people require humanitarian assistance, underlines the risk of further deterioration, highlights the urgent need for funding for the United Nation’s Consolidated Appeal for Somalia which is only 19 per cent funded, and reiterates its demand that all parties allow and facilitate full, safe and unhindered access for the timely delivery of aid to persons in need across Somalia;

“11.  Stresses the need for the FGS to ensure that all perpetrators of serious violations of international humanitarian law are held accountable, and emphasizes the importance of UNSOM supporting the FGS in developing and implementing a national strategy for preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence;

“12.  Calls on UNSOM to implement its mandate consistent with, inter alia, resolution 1325 (2000), deplores the ongoing incidences of sexual violence in Somalia, welcomes the Federal Government of Somalia’s development of a National Action Plan to end sexual violence as well as the Implementation Plan of the Joint Communiqué of the Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations on the Prevention of Sexual Violence, and encourages the United Nations, Member States and regional and international organizations to support implementation;

“13.  Strongly condemns reports of grave violations against children, welcomes the Federal Government of Somalia’s signing of the Standard Operating Procedures for the reception and hand-over of children separated from armed groups, and urges the Federal Government of Somalia to continue to implement the action plans on children and armed conflict, including bringing perpetrators of such acts to justice;

“14.  Expresses concern at the reports of human rights violations received by UNSOM and its partners, some of which were allegedly perpetrated in relation to the continuing military campaign, and at the forced evictions of internally displaced persons, stresses the need for the Federal Government of Somalia to ensure that all perpetrators of such violations are held accountable, and calls upon the Federal Government of Somalia to promote respect for and actively protect human rights, including of persons in detention centres;

“15.  Requests the Secretary-General to keep the Security Council regularly informed of the implementation of UNSOM’s mandate, including through oral updates and no fewer than three written reports, with the first written report by 25 September, and every 120 days thereafter;

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

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For information media • not an official record