S/PV.5633 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them document S/2007/96, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by Congo, Ghana, Panama, Slovakia, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. I would like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/2007/34, which contains the text of a letter dated 22 January 2007 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of the Congo to the United Nations transmitting a copy of the communiqué of the African Union Peace and Security Council adopted on 19 January 2007. It is my understanding that the Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution (S/2007/96) before it. Unless I hear any objection, I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now. There being no objection, it is so decided.

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1744 (2007). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements following the voting. Sir Emyr Jones Parry (United Kingdom): The United Kingdom is pleased that the Security Council has unanimously adopted the draft resolution before it on Somalia. For the first time in 15 years, the Somali people have a prospect of being governed by representative institutions that will provide them with security and stability. For its part, the international community must lend its support to Somalia’s transitional federal institutions, to turn this opportunity into a reality. This resolution is one small but significant step in that direction. My delegation would like to pay tribute to the African Union for its decision to deploy a stabilization force in Somalia, and to those countries providing troops for that mission. Our common objective is to promote reconciliation, peace and security in a country that has known little but conflict and instability for so long. It was right that we requested the Secretary- General to send a technical assessment mission to the region to report on the political and security situation and the possibility of a United Nations peacekeeping operation following the African Union’s deployment. We look forward to the results of that mission. As well as supporting efforts to bring security to Somalia, we urge the international community to provide additional humanitarian relief and development assistance to Somalia. The United Kingdom has, for example, substantially increased its commitment to that country, and will provide £21 million in the coming year. But the international community can only help the emerging peace process in Somalia. Sustainable peace and development will depend ultimately upon the Somalis themselves. We encourage Governments and peoples — in Somalia and the region — to grasp this opportunity to ensure that Somalia’s institutions are representative and inclusive and enjoy the broad- based support of its people. We also call on them to ensure that we bring this long conflict to an end. This resolution indicates that the international community will give its fullest support to efforts to those ends.

Somalia, which has for 15 years been marked by violence and suffering, finds itself today at a turning point in its history. France voted in favour of the resolution that has just been adopted, because we support the efforts of the African Union to help Somalia to return to the path of peace and stability. The deployment of the African Union Military Observer Mission in Somalia is a source of great hope for the Somali people, as it is for the Horn of Africa and the entire continent. France nevertheless believes that, however great its determination and the efforts it has made, the international community cannot impose peace in Somalia. It is up to Somalis alone to seize the unique opportunity offered by the African Union to embark upon and strengthen a process of national reconciliation. We hope that they will be able to seize that opportunity, for the future of Somalia is in their hands.

My delegation shares the views expressed by the representatives of France and the United Kingdom and would like to make a few remarks. Italy voted in favour of the resolution to provide full support to the current efforts of the African Union and to authorize the urgent deployment of the African Union Military Observer Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). In our view, a fully inclusive political process — indeed, one owned and conducted by Somalis themselves — is the key to the solution to the Somali crisis, as the resolution in fact recognizes. Italy believes that, in order to be successful, it is essential for AMISOM to be unequivocally perceived by the Somali population as instrumental in supporting dialogue and reconciliation.

My delegation hopes that the adoption of this resolution will demonstrate to the people of Somalia that the international community does indeed care about their situation. The deployment of the African Union Mission is a start. We hope that it will signal that the international community, through the Security Council, will in the coming months also be able to deploy to help the Somali people rebuild their country. We look forward to the comprehensive dialogue to be embarked upon by the Transitional Government, because we too believe that a dialogue that includes all parties, irrespective of their religious beliefs, will be the key to Somalia’s people being able to live side-by- side in peace. We thank the Council for this resolution. We hope that this will be the beginning of a new relationship with the people of Somalia.

There are no further speakers remaining on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council will remain seized of the matter.