S/PV.7278 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. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Maman Sidikou, African Union Special Representative for Somalia and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia, to participate in this meeting. On behalf of the Council, I welcome Ambassador Sidikou, who is joining today’s meeting via video- teleconference from Addis Ababa. 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/2014/699, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on Somalia. I now give the floor to Mr. Kay. Mr. Kay: I thank you, Madam President, for this opportunity to brief the Council. I am particularly pleased to be doing so alongside my new colleague Dr. Maman Sidikou, who is joining us from Addis Ababa. I very much look forward to our very close partnership in the future. When I briefed the Council in July, I focused on the threats posed by Al-Shabaab. Since then, I am pleased to report, that Al-Shabaab has suffered significant setbacks and that the political process has moved forward. The Council’s landmark visit in August was a signal to Somalis and Al-Shabaab that the international community remains committed and that more progress is needed. Somalia’s challenges remain significant. Urgent and coherent action on the part of the Federal Government and international partners is needed in security, development, political and humanitarian fields. To that end, we need unity of purpose from Somali politicians and leaders. Neither Somalia nor the international community will have patience for anyone who deliberately stands in the way of peace, reconciliation and stability. At the same time as insisting rightly on the critical need for sustained action, we cannot and should not be blind to the fact that Somalia, with the help of the entire international community, is living through a moment of unprecedented change and optimism. We need to seize the opportunities. Somalia is a country slowly waking from a terrible nightmare. Two days ago, we were reminded of just how terrible, when a car bomb killed at least 13 people in Mogadishu. There has been important political progress, in particular in state formation. I congratulate the President and the Prime Minister for taking that forward jointly. I welcome the ongoing process of reconciliation and the establishment of interim regional administrations. These, clearly, must be full inclusive. Women and young people must participate in and shape them. The capacity of these interim regional administrations also needs to be built with international support, including from the United Nations. I encourage the Federal Government to accelerate an inclusive state formation process in the central regions. I reiterate my hope that we will have a new map of a federal Somalia by the end of the year and, if at all possible, by the time of the Copenhagen high-level partnership forum next month. There also needs to be more and faster progress in creating two bodies — the national independent electoral commission and the boundaries and federation commission. Also, the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission should quickly begin its work in Mogadishu. The parliamentary oversight committee should be established. I call on the Federal Government and Federal Parliament to make the necessary arrangements. I remain particularly concerned about the risk of political infighting. Twice in the past 12 months, this has led to bureaucratic paralysis. The President and the Prime Minister have navigated a way out of recent tensions, for which I heartily commend them. I appeal to all of Somalia’s political institutions, including the Federal Parliament, to focus on the urgent business of establishing the institutions and processes that will pave the way to longer-term peace, stability and reconciliation. This parliamentary session will be decisive. If key laws are not passed, Somalis will not achieve their dreams for a new Constitution and democratic elections in 2016. In Somaliland, preparations are under way for elections in June 2015. I am glad to report that I visited Somaliland in August, at the invitation of the Government, and we agreed an agenda for future United Nations engagement, including my own good offices role. I warmly congratulate the African Union Mission in Somalia and the Somali national army for progress in Operation Indian Ocean. I pay tribute to those who have lost their lives in bringing peace, including, sadly, in an attack today. With the death of its leader, Ahmed Godane, on 1 September, Al-Shabaab has been weakened operationally and financially by these recent advances. Planning for Operation Indian Ocean has been joint and inclusive. It has significantly reduced logistical problems. The United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia is running an unprecedented operation supporting, under resolution 2124 (2013), a dynamic offensive with a fraction of the capacity that would normally be used to support a military operation of the same size. However, key assets, especially helicopters, are still needed, not least to help ensure secure road access across the country. Military action will not eradicate the terrorist threat in Somalia. Military gains need to be consolidated through stabilization. It is also important to focus on strategic communication and a comprehensive and properly funded disengaged combatants programme. The United Nations is actively assisting with all of that. We also need more resolute action to end the trade in charcoal that is funding terrorism. There has been progress in establishing local administrations and in the deployment of Somali police force officers in some newly recovered areas. The Federal Government has led the strategic and operational coordination of stabilization activities, and that needs to be intensified to ensure a coherent approach. The establishment of local administrations also needs to be synchronized with the ongoing federal State-formation process. I remain concerned that efforts to develop security institutions are insufficient. I welcome the recent discussions in London, particularly on militia integration and a more coordinated and realistic plan for defence sector reform. I note the improvements in the Federal Government’s reporting on its obligations under the United Nations sanctions regime and I look forward to further improvements with the support and cooperation of international partners. We shall also continue to support efforts to strengthen the rule of law. Human rights remain a concern and a priority. I welcome the recent visit by Leila Zerrougui, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, and the recent commitment by the Federal Government to put the ratification of the Convention of the Rights of the Child before Parliament. But I share the concerns of the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Somalia about the recent arrests of journalists, who have yet to face trial, the closure of media outlets and the increasing use of capital punishment. I reiterate my call on the Federal Government to implement its pledge to establish a moratorium on the death penalty. I also call for further progress in establishing the independent human rights commission. I am very concerned about recent allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by some AMISOM troops. I welcome the African Union’s commitment, reiterated in New York on 24 September by the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, to a full investigation in accordance with its zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation and abuse. It is important that it be transparent and that witnesses be protected. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) stands ready to lend our support in any way we can. The humanitarian situation in Somalia has continued to deteriorate. Over 3 million people need humanitarian or livelihood assistance in Somalia today. That includes over 1 million Somalis who cannot feed themselves — an increase of 20 per cent in six months. Humanitarian assistance has been stepped up. Over 300 metric tons of supplies for tens of thousands of people have been delivered by air due to the lack of secure access to recovered areas, but that still falls short of needs on the ground. Air cargo flights simply cannot deliver the quantities required. Secure road access is essential. We must also urgently mobilize sufficient resources, otherwise we face another devastating humanitarian emergency, which could undermine the political and security gains of the last two years. I welcome the appointment of the independent advisory panel to the Financial Governance Committee. I look forward to greater transparency and better public financial management, particularly in the area of public-sector contracts. Donors also need to strengthen the transparency of aid flows and activities in accordance with commitments under the New Deal Compact process. The United Nations is doing its part to comply with its Compact commitments. We shall soon sign our first integrated strategic framework with the Federal Government. That will guide more coherent and better coordinated United Nations efforts to achieve the national priorities set out in the Compact. The Copenhagen High-Level Partnership Forum, to be held in November, will be an important moment to take stock of the progress towards the goals of the Somali Compact. It is important that sub-federal administrations be given a role in the conference, including in its preparation. In conclusion, I remain a committed optimist. I do not underestimate the challenges, or the urgency and difficulty of overcoming them, but I firmly believe that Somalia’s problems are those of a country coming together, not a country falling apart. I know the Council spends a lot of its time dealing with the latter. I thank the Council for its unstinting support for Somalia, and I welcome the many commitments made at last month’s high-level event in New York. I pay tribute to my United Nations colleagues, who are working with dedication and courage to help Somalis realize their hopes and dreams. I also want to thank all of Somalia’s international partners, particularly the African Union, the European Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, for their cooperation, contributions and commitment to Somalia, without which we would not be where we are today. Somalia’s long night is not over, but the sky is at last getting lighter.

I thank Mr. Kay for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Sidikou. Mr. Sidikou: I thank you, Madam President, for this opportunity to brief the Council. It is particularly gratifying to me, as I am just starting out with this very important responsibility as the Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). I would also like to extend my appreciation to the Council for its historic visit to Mogadishu on 12 August 2014, a clear demonstration of the Council’s unflinching commitment to peace, security and stability in Somalia. Let me start by echoing a point that was noted by my colleague, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Somalia, Mr. Nicholas Kay. The overall political developments in Somalia remain encouraging, with evidence of progress in the State-formation process, the constitutional review and the preparations for elections by 2016. Those developments demonstrate that the Federal Government of Somalia is functional, has continued to make efforts in meeting its domestic obligations and continues to receive enhanced international recognition and support. My friend Special Representative of the Secretary-General Kay has already provided an extensive briefing, so we will leave it at that. I will only highlight a couple of points from the latter part of his briefing. On the security front, AMISOM and the Somali National Army forces are concluding the second phase of our joint Operation Indian Ocean, which was launched on 25 August 2014. The primary objective of the Operation is to seize, secure and stabilize keys districts along the coastline. Planning for Operation Indian Ocean was an inclusive process that involved all our partners, including the United Nations. That joint planning process reduced the problems faced by the United Nations Support Office for AMISOM in delivering logistical support to both the Somali National Army and the AMISOM forces. To date, the Somali National Army, supported by AMISOM forces, have recovered eight towns, including Al-Shabaab’s stronghold and de facto capital, Baraawe. The populations in those newly recovered areas are now enjoying their right to live in freedom from the fear and cruelty of Al-Shabaab. Al-Shabaab has suffered military reversals, including, as Mr. Kay mentioned earlier, the loss of its leader, Ahmed Abdi aw-Mohamed, and the recovery of most of its remaining strongholds. It appears, however, that the group still retains appreciable numbers of its fighters and equipment, mainly in rural areas. That is clearly designed to keep it in readiness for a probably prolonged asymmetrical fight against the Somali Government and people. In the short term, therefore, Al-Shabaab is likely to remain a threat to Somalia and its immediate neighbours as well as to AMISOM’s police- and troop-contributing countries. In terms of internal dynamics, there are indications that the group may break up into several factions, with some elements pondering a shift in allegiance from Al-Qaida to the Islamic State in order to attract resources and profit from the Islamic State brand. I would like to highlight and convey a number of key messages. On the political side, I should underline the importance of unity of purpose among the Somali political leadership at both the federal and regional levels, in order for us to deliver on Vision 2016. In that regard, the State formation process that will ultimately facilitate holding elections in 2016 must be inclusive and must maintain the current momentum. We must also ensure that words are translated into action, especially in delivering services to the populations in the newly recovered areas. On the security side, while it is true that Al-Shabaab has been weakened, it retains the ability to carry out asymmetric warfare and inspire would-be terrorists in neighbouring countries, thereby achieving its goal of striking beyond the borders of Somalia. Going forward, therefore, the ultimate defeat of Al-Shabaab will require the immediate provision of basic services to the population by the Federal Government of Somalia and AMISOM, as well as by international partners. Time is not on our side. Al-Shabaab will attempt to continue to create chaos and fear at every opportunity in order to disrupt the people’s everyday life, prevent the resurgence of social and economic activity and thus make the people doubt the capacity of the Federal Government of Somalia and AMISOM to provide security in the country. As we go forward, therefore, AMISOM will adjust to the asymmetrical warfare and will work with the Somali Government and the people to neutralize the remnant of Al-Shabaab. We will also continue to work with our partners, especially the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, to facilitate the establishment of governance and service-delivery structures in the newly recovered areas. I would like to conclude by informing the Council, as I did earlier today when speaking to members of the African Union Peace and Security Council, that the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ms. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, has established an independent, multi-country panel to investigate the allegations of rape and sexual exploitation by AMISOM forces made in the Human Rights Watch report entitled “The Power These Men Have Over Us: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse by African Union Forces in Somalia”, which was released on 8 September. I would like to thank the Council for its support to the African Union and AMISOM’s troop- and police-contributing countries, as well as its support for AMISOM’s civilian personnel.

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

I would like to congratulate you, Madam President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of October. I am grateful for this opportunity to brief the Council, and since this is my only opportunity to do so ahead of its important discussions of both the situation in our country and sanctions-related issues, I would like to briefly address four key points, which are political progress in Somalia, the military campaign, the maritime interdiction of charcoal and illegal weapons and the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group. Two years ago, the Government of Somalia faced several complex challenges. Today, with the support of the Somali people and the engagement of the international community, Somalia has undergone a significant transformation. The Government is working closely with international partners in implementing the New Deal and its associated reforms. It has made major progress in public financial management, putting in place greater accountability measures, controls and governance structures. Key legislation has been drafted and budget policy developed, and the capacity of the Offices of the Accountant General and Auditor General has been strengthened. An annual budget, developed against Government-wide work plans, has been delivered. A new Governor and Board of Directors have been appointed for the Central Bank of Somalia. A financial governance committee has been jointly established between the Federal Government and international financial institutions in order to provide greater transparency and oversight. We are very grateful to the Secretary-General for hosting a high-level event on Somalia during the general debate of the General Assembly last month. Vision 2016 is the framework guiding the Government’s priorities of achieving a successful transition to democracy and credible elections in 2016, and we are looking forward to the forthcoming United Nations electoral needs assessment to support that effort. The three key elements of the Government’s strategy are constitutional review and implementation, completion of the federal system/state formation, and democratization. But we must consolidate military progress if the political road map is to flourish. Our clear military defeat of Al-Shabaab will be possible only through the joint efforts of the Somali National Army and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The Government is committed to ensuring that the civilian population feels the benefit of being free from Al-Shabaab, and to that end we are working with both the United Nations and AMISOM to ensure that ordinary Somalis receive basic services when towns are liberated from Al-Shabaab. I should also like to take this opportunity to commend the bravery and sacrifice of the AMISOM forces working alongside the Somali forces. We will never forget their contribution to peace in our country; while progress is being made against Al-Shabaab, the fight is not over, and Somalia is very grateful for all the assistance it receives. We hope that the day when the Somali National Army can secure the entire territory of Somalia without the support of other forces will come sooner rather than later. You will be aware, Madam President, that my President has written to you and other Security Council members on the issues of charcoal and illegal weapons, which continue to fund and supply Al-Shabaab. The Somali Government hopes that the Council will support his request for its further assistance in authorizing the existing international maritime forces to take measures at sea to prevent the export of charcoal from Somalia and the delivery of weapons and military equipment into Somalia, in violation of the arms embargo. We were encouraged by the remarks at the high-level event of Mr. David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in which he offered to take forward discussions in the Council. Tackling this trade would make a real difference to the lives of Somalis in the fight against Al-Shabaab. The Government of Somalia is fully committed to implementing the relevant Security Council resolutions both on sanctions and the Somalia and Eritrea Monitoring Group. The Somali Government has always been receptive to them and has welcomed the reports of the Monitoring Group. We recognize that the Government must work with the Monitoring Group, and while we do not necessarily agree with all of its findings, we will continue to work with it and strengthen that relationship further during the next mandate period. We would be pleased to welcome the Group to Mogadishu on a more frequent basis.

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.