S/PV.7132 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Somalia to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Nicholas Kay, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, to participate in this meeting. On behalf of the Council, I welcome Mr. Kay, who is joining today’s meeting via video-teleconference from Mogadishu. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2014/140, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on Somalia. I now give the floor to Mr. Kay. Mr. Kay: Thank you, Madame President, for giving me the opportunity to brief the Council from Mogadishu today. I also thank the Council for its continued support for Somalia’s peacebuilding and State-building. I am on the ground in Mogadishu and not in the Security Council Chamber in New York due to the intensity of the events taking place at the moment in Somalia. I hope that the Council can understand that. The best hope for peace and stability in Somalia, the Horn of Africa and beyond remains a united, secure and federal Somalia. That is achievable. Somalia can reach its goal of an agreed constitution, a nationwide electoral process and increased security by 2016. But times are tough and in the short term they may get tougher. Insecurity in Mogadishu poses challenges for Somalis, the United Nations and the international community. The year 2014 is a crucial one. It is marked by security and political challenges, which will be overcome if the Federal Government of Somalia and international partners remain united and if both accelerate delivery pursuant to their mutual commitments. As I speak, an expanded African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali National Army are prosecuting a renewed offensive against Al-Shabaab, made possible by resolution 2124 (2013). It will be the most significant and geographically extensive military advance since AMISOM started, and there have already been notable successes. I pay tribute to the commitment and sacrifices made by AMISOM and its police- and troop-contributing States. Under Ambassador Annadif’s leadership, AMISOM continues to be the single most important contributor to the security of Somalia and a vital partner for the Federal Government and the United Nations in peacebuilding, State-building and stabilization. Ethiopian troops were officially incorporated into AMISOM earlier this year. The United Nations has played its part in preparing for the new operations. Supplies of food, fuel and water were stockpiled by the United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia (UNSOA) in all sectors in advance of the operations. UNSOA and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) have been supporting the training of Somali National Army troops. That includes training in human rights and humanitarian law, in accordance with the Secretary- General’s Human Rights Due Diligence Policy. As members of the Council are aware, in Mogadishu the security situation has deteriorated since the last time I briefed the Council, in December (see S/PV.7078). A suicide attack carried out on a United Nations convoy, a complex suicide attack against the presidential compound in Villa Somalia and another suicide attack near the National Intelligence Headquarters, all in the month of February, are sharp reminders. The risk of further attacks against international and Somali Government targets remains high. The Federal Government and AMISOM have increased their security operations in the city, and the Government has developed a new Mogadishu security strategy. I look forward to its early implementation and I hope international partners will actively support it and respond rapidly to requests from the Government. The United Nations has taken measures to improve its own security. Planning for the United Nations Guard Unit, endorsed in February by the Council to protect United Nations personnel and facilities in Mogadishu, is under way, with the first deployments expected in April. I take this opportunity to thank the Council and the Government of Uganda for their support in establishing the Guard Unit. I would also like to thank AMISOM for its cooperation in facilitating its deployment. Vital though they are, military operations alone will not achieve sustainable peacebuilding and State-building. The Government has established a framework for the stabilization of areas that will become accessible as a result of those operations, including the establishment of interim local administrations. UNSOM has been working closely with partners to support that. As AMISOM and the Somali National Army begin their offensive, we are all conscious of the need to uphold humanitarian principles and respect for international humanitarian law. We also need resources. I urge donors and partners to contribute to the trust fund for the supply of non-lethal support to the Somali National Army, in line with resolution 2124 (2013). Such United Nations support for a national army is groundbreaking and requires our collective effort and determination to succeed. Developing strong, professional Somali security forces is essential. Progress is being made, but it is made harder by the continuing insecurity and conflict. UNSOM’s work on security sector reform continues. We are, for example, taking some practical steps, such as supporting biometric registration and the provision of uniforms. We plan to support the Somali Police Force’s recruitment of 2,300 additional police officers in 2014. Somalia’s security institutions need urgently to be properly funded. I hope that international partners will work with UNSOM, AMISOM and the Federal Government to work out how to do that in a timely and effective manner. I am pleased also to report that in February the European Union training mission began its training programmes inside Somalia. That is a significant step that deserves our recognition. Achieving greater security is a vital task for 2014, but the political dimension of State-building and peacebuilding is equally vital this year. After nearly three months of negotiation, Somalia now has a new Federal Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed. The Cabinet contains experienced and technocratic Ministers whose workplans are built around the priorities identified in the New Deal Compact. On 24 February, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and I co-chaired in Mogadishu the first meeting of the High- level Partnership Forum, the body overseeing the implementation of the Compact. The Forum concluded that now was the time for both the Government and international partners to convert plans into actions, pledges into tangible projects and make real political progress. I am pleased to report that as we meet, the Federal Government is finalizing a detailed plan and timetable for a process leading to the formation of Federal states, a final Constitution and democratization by 2016. I expect the timetable — which is broadly called Vision 2016 and has concrete and realistic deliverables — to be published in the coming weeks, following further consultation with stakeholders, including Puntland and the Interim Juba Administration. The United Nations stands ready to play a central role in supporting its implementation. Strengthened public financial management is another pillar of State-building. Following the resignation of the former Governor of the Central Bank in November 2013, the Government has made progress towards rebuilding national and international confidence in its financial institutions. A key step has been the establishment of a financial governance committee, involving experts from the Government and international financial institutions to advise on financial management. Alongside other key measures, the Federal Government has agreed to share the existing strategic concession contracts with the committee for technical review and expert advice. Improved transparency and accountability are critical steps in initiating aid flows. The World Bank, I should note, has been intrepid in supporting on the ground the progress we are beginning to see. The formation of Federal states needs to be accelerated. I said as much in my briefing to the Council in December (see S/PV.7078), and it is even more true today. In Baidoa, in south-west Somalia, the gulf between two rival camps, advocating a six- and three-region state respectively, remains wide. On 3 March, I called on all parties to respect the Constitution and existing agreements of the Federal Government and to resolve disputes through inclusive dialogue. I continue to offer UNSOM’s good offices to support a Federal Government-led process. The Government has clearly stated its commitment to a three-region state, a position that should be respected. In southern Somalia, the formation of the Interim Juba Administration continued, with the announcement of ministerial positions on 20 February. There have been positive steps towards reconciliation and inclusiveness, but the full implementation of the 28 August 2013 Addis Ababa agreement requires continued engagement and compromise. I salute the efforts of Ethiopia as Chair of the Council of Ministers of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and guarantor of the Addis Ababa agreement. UNSOM is working with the Federal Government, the Interim Juba Administration and partners to mobilize resources to manage an increased caseload of disengaged combatants in Kismaayo and to take forward reconciliation initiatives. To the north, in Puntland, on 8 January I witnessed, along with several members of the international community, the election of President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas and the peaceful handover by former President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole. UNSOM supported critical mediation efforts in the run-up to the elections and advocated, among other things, for greater women’s political participation. I am encouraged by the new Government’s commitment to the resumption of Puntland’s suspended democratization process and the restoration of relations with the Federal Government of Somalia. President Gaas has highlighted the difficult budget situation and the shortage of funds to pay the salaries of Puntland Government officials, including security forces. I hope that donor efforts to find an interim solution will bear fruit. I am inspired by the vigour and enthusiasm of Somali women’s political advocacy. Twenty-three women’s organizations from south-central Somalia and Puntland have established the Somali Women Leadership Initiative to campaign for increased political participation by women. UNSOM remains firmly committed to enhancing women’s participation in national decision-making. Encouragingly, in Puntland, President Abdiweli Gaas appointed five women to his Cabinet, more than any of his predecessors. Promotion and respect for human rights are at the core of UNSOM’s support to the Federal Government. We have been working with both AMISOM and the Somali National Army to provide training on human rights, international humanitarian law and refugee law. A joint working group on human rights due diligence, which includes AMISOM, UNSOA and UNSOM, has been established, and I hope that in the near future it will also include the Federal Government. The consultative process to create a national human rights commission is still delayed against a background of sustained attacks against human rights defenders and journalists and the continued application of the death penalty. I am also deeply concerned about the ongoing incidence of sexual violence in Somalia. I look forward to the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Team of Experts on the Rule of Law and Sexual Violence in Conflict established under resolution 1888 (2009). The Team of Experts visited Somalia in December 2013. Despite significant humanitarian crises around the world and within the region, I believe that Somalia must remain a priority. The country’s humanitarian crisis is among the largest and most complex in the world. An estimated 2.9 million people will need immediate life-saving and livelihood support in the next six months. Recent improvements in the humanitarian situation are fragile and risk reversal if the current trend of low and slow funding for the 2014 humanitarian appeal continues. There have been reports recently, also, of displacements as a result of the recent offensives, especially in Bay and Bakool. As of 9 March, some 3,700 newly displaced people had arrived in Baidoa, mainly due to fear of attacks. As of today, they have all started receiving shelter and household items. We also had reports of some 700 previously displaced families who have returned to Xuddur after it was recaptured by Somali national army and AMISOM forces. Humanitarian access due to the volatile security situation remains a major challenge. Humanitarian partners are working to determine urgent needs and how best to respond. On 10 December 2013, a tripartite agreement was signed between the Governments of Kenya, Somalia and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for the voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees in Kenya. But conditions in Somalia are not yet conducive to wide-scale refugee return. Without sufficient preparation, mass returns could, in fact, cause instability and worsen the humanitarian situation in the country. As a result of changes in its legislation, in December 2013, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia began deporting Somali nationals and other migrant workers. It is estimated that more than 22,000 have returned to Somalia thus far. The International Organization for Migration expects that as many as an additional 33,000 people could be deported in the next three months. Such an influx into Mogadishu could exacerbate the plight of the internally displaced in the capital. Progress in Somalia has been mixed thus far, but it is progress. We still have a long way to go. The targets that the Federal Government has set itself, in partnership with the international community, remain relevant and feasible. National reconciliation, federalism, the conclusion of the constitutional process and the rebuilding of security institutions are critical. Despite setbacks and delays, none of those tasks remain out of our collective reach. But time is of the essence. The time for action is now. To conclude, Somalia and Somalis desperately need improved security. I firmly believe that can be achieved, but it requires a collective effort. National reconciliation must be fast-tracked. The establishment of Federal states is critical to the creation of a cohesive and effective federal structure in Somalia. Reconciliation efforts must continue and will be an additional tool in the fight against the enemies of peace. Legislation to set the constitutional and electoral processes in motion must be enacted. Finally, I urge the international community to continue to provide the support necessary to build the Federal Government’s capacity to undertake the significant work that remains. Somalis need to see and feel the benefit of increasing peace and security. We need to convert good plans into more concrete assistance, or, as a Somali proverb says “A sweet hand is better than a sweet mouth”. The Federal Government is frustrated with the slow delivery of tangible assistance. A country broken from decades of conflict has huge needs. Not all can or will be met quickly, especially while the conflict continues, but I wonder if together we could not achieve some faster success in rebuilding the shattered State of Somalia. As friends and partners of Somalia, we need to stay the course. Now is not the time to prevaricate. We have to be prepared for setbacks but must remain resolute. After nearly a quarter of a century of wars, State collapse and immense human suffering, Somalis are determined to build a lasting peace. They need and deserve our continued support.

I thank Mr. Kay for his briefing. I now give the floor to the representative of Somalia.

I thank you, Madam President, for allowing me to make a few points here. I also thank the members of the Security Council. Mr. Nicholas Kay, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, has given a thorough briefing, which I believe gives the best picture, as far as I can see, with regard to the current situation in Somalia. I fully agree with most of the points in his briefing and the issues raised. What I can now affirm is that our Minister for Foreign Affairs has expressed his commitment to the requirements set out in resolution 2142 (2014). An assessment team is now going to or has perhaps already left for Mogadishu to assess the issues and difficulties facing the Somali Government in complying with its requirements, as set out in paragraphs 3 and 7 of the resolution. It is hoping to assist in improving the capacities of the Federal Government of Somalia in implementing the requirements for the safe, transparent storage, distribution and management of weapons and military equipment, including on monitoring and verification. We also believe that, as Nicholas Kay has already mentioned, the trust fund is now needed as soon as possible and all pledges should be provided in a timely way. That will help the Somali Government and forces to be able to fulfil their obligations. As Mr. Kay also mentioned, there are a number of areas that have been liberated from Al-Shabaab. Whenever Al-Shabaab members are in a critical situation, they may run away to certain areas that ais free, such as Puntland. We now know what has happened there. Mr. Kay has already mentioned that. We are afraid that they may infiltrate regions and areas that are now safe unless, of course, the Government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) have the means to predict their movements and make sure that Al-Shabaab cannot spill over into any of the safe areas. Furthermore, we have listened to Mr. Kay. I agree with him and we endorse his appreciation of what AMISOM has done. I also wish to thank, on behalf of my Government, the militaries that are providing the forces of AMISOM. I also thank the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia and the United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia for their support to Somalia. The real support that we now need is the capacity to be able to fulfil our obligations with regard to the resolution, adopted just a few days ago.

There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.