Security Council Press Statement on Somalia
The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Karen Pierce (United Kingdom):
On 21 November, the members of the Security Council were briefed on the situation in Somalia by the Special Representative of the Secretary‑General for Somalia, James Swan, the Special Representative of the African Union Commission Chairperson for Somalia, Francisco Madeira, the Chair of Somalia’s National Independent Electoral Commission, Halima Ismail Ibrahim, and civil society briefer Osman Moallim.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the commitment by the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) at the Somalia Partnership Forum on 2 October this year, to adopt an Electoral Law by December 2019 in order to ensure that federal one‑person‑one‑vote elections are held in late 2020/early 2021. The members of the Security Council underlined that holding a peaceful, inclusive, credible and transparent one‑person‑one‑vote election, in line with the Provisional Constitution, would be a historic step in the rebuilding of Somalia and would assist the country’s continued democratic development.
The members of the Security Council noted that finalizing the election model would require a compromise and called on all key actors and institutions in Somalia to set aside their differences and engage constructively in discussions.
The members of the Security Council emphasized that the election process should be inclusive, allowing for engagement from all clans and regions, and should provide for the full, equal and meaningful participation of women at all stages, and the commitments made by Somalia to including at least 30 per cent minimum quota for women parliamentarians.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the role of the National Independent Election Commission in preparing for the election and reiterated the need for the Electoral Security Task Force to meet and to set out a plan as soon as possible for the creation of a safe and secure environment for elections. The members of the Security Council welcomed the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia’s (UNSOM) efforts to support preparations for direct elections in line with its mandate, the contribution of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) to security preparations, the critical role of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia (UNSOS) and the support they provide to UNSOM, AMISOM and the Somali National Army, and the support provided by the international community.
The members of the Security Council noted that cooperation between the FGS and some Federal Member States (FMS) remained difficult on a number of issues and raised concerns that this impedes full delivery of national priorities. The members of the Security Council called on FGS and FMS to resume their dialogue in order to resolve outstanding issues, finalize an inclusive political settlement, and pursue reconciliation talks at the local, regional and national level. They emphasized in particular the need to resolve the situation in Jubaland and urged all parties to engage in dialogue. The members of the Security Council also urged progress in reconciliation and the organization of regional elections in Galmudug. They recalled the good offices role of the Special Representative of the Secretary General and encouraged him to continue to work with the African Union and other partners to support all parties in seeking a way forward.
The members of the Security Council welcomed recent progress in reforming the Somali security forces, in generating new forces and in undertaking joint operations with AMISOM and called for continued support from the international community on force generation. They called upon FGS, in coordination with FMS, to accelerate the implementation of the National Security Architecture and to take further steps to deliver the Somali‑led Transition Plan, and recalled the importance of the full implementation of resolution 2472 (2019).
The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest possible terms the recent terrorist attacks in Somalia for which Al‑Shabaab has claimed responsibility. The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need for all States to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and other obligations under international law, including international human rights law, international refugee law and international humanitarian law, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist attacks.
The members of the Security Council stressed the importance of the protection of civilians and called on all parties to comply immediately with their obligations under international law including under international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
The members of the Security Council welcomed Somalia’s continued progress on building a track record of reforms under the International Monetary Fund Staff‑Monitored Programme.
The members of the Security Council expressed sympathy for those affected by recent floods and welcomed Somali and international efforts to provide humanitarian assistance.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia. The members of the Security Council underlined their determination to continue to play an active role in the months ahead.