S/PV.7445 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. On behalf of the Council, I welcome His Excellency Mr. Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, who is joining today’s meeting via videoconference from Mogadishu. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Nicholas Kay, Special Representative of the Secretary- General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia; and Mr. Maman Sidikou, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia. On behalf of the Council, I welcome Mr. Kay and Mr. Sidikou, who are joining today’s meeting via videoconference 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/2015/331, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on Somalia. I now give the floor to Mr. Kay. Mr. Kay: I wish to thank you, Madam President, for this opportunity to brief the Council. I am glad to be doing so with my friend and colleague Ambassador Maman Sidikou. Yesterday we briefed the African Union Peace and Security Council together, which is why we are joining the Council today from Addis Ababa. The African Union-United Nations partnership in Somalia is unique, strong and essential for success. Let me begin by thanking the Council for its continued support to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and to the peacebuilding and State-building process in Somalia. When I spoke to the Council in February, I said that I was both excited and worried about the year ahead. I was excited because, after too long a pause, there was the prospect of political progress again. And indeed, momentum has been regained. Somalia’s third Government in less than three years is hard at work, and the Federal Parliament has begun its sixth session. Somalia’s federal, regional and local leaders, parliamentarians and people from all walks of life are building a federal State, step by step, through dialogue and reconciliation. The prevailing environment of mistrust accumulated over nearly 25 years makes the task difficult and painstaking; but it must continue, and it deserves our sustained support. Federal President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud, as well as the Prime Minister, Speaker and the leaders of Puntland, Jubba and South-West Administrations, have reiterated their determination to deliver Somalia’s Vision 2016 plan without any extension of the term of the Federal Parliament or President in August and September 2016, respectively. There are several important targets the Government has set for itself in the coming months, including completing the formation of interim regional administrations and assemblies; advancing the constitutional review; establishing the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) and the Boundaries and Federation Commission; and finalizing priority legislation on political parties, citizenship and elections. Once Parliament has approved the nomination of commissioners for the National Independent Electoral Commission, the NIEC will face a compressed timeline to discharge its duties. Upon its establishment, the Commission will need to decide swiftly on how to implement its mandate. The United Nations will deploy an electoral assessment mission to advise and determine, in close collaboration with stakeholders, the nature and extent of United Nations electoral support in Somalia. The United Nations  — together with the African Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, and the European Union and Member States  — continues to support the formation of the interim regional administrations. Many challenges remain, in particular ensuring inclusivity. More needs to be achieved in terms of local reconciliation. Women, minorities and youth must be well represented as part of that inclusivity. Progress on federalism has not been matched by similar progress on the constitutional review process. On 6 May, the Chairperson of the independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission resigned, but there should be no let-up in moving the process forward. The United Nations is supporting the commissioners and other relevant institutions in starting the constitutional review process in earnest without further delay. I am also concerned about the timetable for elections in Somaliland, which were due next month. The recent decision by the House of Elders to postpone elections for 22 months until March 2017 is a disappointment. The United Nations has joined other international partners in urging a reconciliation of this timetable based on a political consensus among all Somaliland stakeholders. The security of United Nations staff in Somalia remains a priority. Tragically, on 20 April a terrorist attack in Garoowe claimed the lives of four UNICEF staff members and three Somali guards. Al-Shabaab targeted individuals who were working hard to improve the lives of Somali children and families. It was, as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud said, “an attack against the future of the country”. We honour our fallen colleagues by continuing their work. We have to ensure a balance between our duty of care to staff and the delivery of our mandate to support the Somalis. Overall, the United Nations — agencies, funds and programmes and mission combined — have on average 1,400 people deployed throughout Somalia. We must ensure adequate protection for these teams. In that regard, I want to thank the Council for its support to the expansion of the United Nations guard unit, which provides vital protection to United Nations staff within the Mogadishu International Airport compound and the new offices we have moved into in Mogadishu city. This is the first time a Security Council-mandated mission has operated from outside the airport zone since 1995. I remain concerned about security in Somalia and about the threat posed by Al-Shabaab to the wider subregion, demonstrated by the heinous attack on Kenya’s Garissa University College in April. We need to monitor closely and be able to respond to any sign that Al-Shabaab is benefiting from their links to extremist groups in Yemen and from the instability there. Counter-terrorism requires efforts on many fronts. I hope that the coming weeks will see even closer cooperation among Member States to address this threat at the subregional level, including measures to prevent and counter violent extremism. With so much at stake between now and 2016, we can expect Al-Shabaab to do everything it can to derail the political process in Somalia. Renewing the joint Somali and African Union offensive against Al-Shabaab is an urgent priority. I once again pay tribute to the courage of the Somali national army and our African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) colleagues. The African Union and the United Nations recently completed a joint mission to Somalia to assess the benchmarks for a United Nations peacekeeping mission and the impact of the surge of AMISOM troops, and to provide recommendations on the next steps in the military campaign. My colleague Ambassador Sidikou and His Excellency the Prime Minister will brief further on this. The development of the Somali national army and the Somali police is an imperative for both the defeat of Al-Shabaab and the AMISOM exit strategy. The Guulwade (Victory) Plan referred to in the Secretary- General’s report (S/2015/331) seeks to train and equip the national army for joint operations now. It provides a sound framework, but business as usual will not be enough to support it. A robust architecture for the delivery of international support to the national army is needed, and we are consulting all partners on the options. A similar plan for the police, including regional police, is also needed. I am encouraged that the mechanisms created in 2014 to support the implementation of the “New Deal” Somali Compact are starting to perform. The Government has exercised leadership in bringing all partners together. A portfolio of seven programmes, aligned with the Federal Government’s priorities and donor resources, and with a value of over $100 million, has been approved for inclusion in the United Nations Multi-Partner Trust Fund. I thank all donors who have pledged support, and further encourage them to support Somalia’s recovery through these mechanisms. However, the alignment and coordination of international assistance behind Somali leadership is uneven. Of the funds generously pledged at Brussels in 2013, only about 10 per cent have been committed through the Compact architecture. I encourage all Somalia’s partners to adhere to our collective commitments, and especially to increase their use of national systems. Although Somalia’s financial system remains high-risk, the Federal Government and its international partners are taking steps within the New Deal framework to ensure robust oversight of the overall governance architecture. There is still a long way to go, but I am pleased to report that a Treasury Single Account is now in place, creating a single channel for national revenues and payments. There is work to do on human rights as well. This year, Somalia will need to report on progress made on their commitments in the universal periodic review. I note with concern that there has been a marked increase in executions and death sentences handed out in 2015 despite Somalia’s commitment to put a moratorium on executions. I also remain concerned about threats and intimidation of journalists in Somalia. I welcome the African Union’s report on allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by AMISOM soldiers and commend the work of the investigations team. As the Council has already noted, there is now a need to follow up. Ambassador Sidikou will brief further on this. The humanitarian situation in Somalia remains alarming. The numbers speak for themselves. Some 730,000 Somalis continue to be unable to meet their most basic daily food needs; an additional 2.3 million people are at risk of sliding into the same situation; among them, over 1.1 million Somalis remain displaced, the majority women and children. This situation requires constant attention, adequate funding and continuous upgrades to our analytical and forecasting capabilities. One third into the year, the humanitarian appeal is only 12 per cent funded, having received only $100 million of the $863 million needed. The situation could be further compounded by a poor rainy season, if that happens, the closure of the Somali remittance operators and the escalating conflict in Yemen. Between 27 March and 14 May, Somalia received nearly 7,000 arrivals, of whom the vast majority, about 92 per cent, were Somali nationals, many of them with refugee status in Yemen. The United Nations is actively supporting efforts to assist those returning. The high-level partnership forum in Mogadishu planned for 29 July will be an opportunity for Somalia and its partners to come together to agree on priority action between now and 2016. But continued progress between now and then will take sustained attention and commitment from all sides. I believe that UNSOM’s mandate remains relevant for the coming year. As the federalism process moves forward, we will adjust the focus of our efforts. Our work in Somalia’s regions will become ever more critical, and we will seek to maximize our support to existing and new administrations within our mandate for providing good offices and strategic policy advice. That requires logistical and security support in difficult circumstances. I look forward to the strategic review of the United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia that is also scheduled for July. It will help us to establish what is feasible, including for supporting emerging administrations where UNSOM does not have a presence. We will continue to update the Council on the adequacy of security arrangements. Finally, we will keep under review the preparations for an electoral process in September 2016, and provide further advice on the implications as required. While it is too soon to celebrate definitive success in Somalia, I believe we would be missing a strategic opportunity if we failed to appreciate just how much the Somalis and the international community are achieving. As we cast our eye over the wider region and beyond, where else do we see a country, once mired in conflict, that now has progressively better functioning governance, where political dialogue is replacing the rule of the gun and, most importantly, where violent extremism is being successfully countered? A country that refugees once fled in their millions is now receiving refugees from other countries, such as Yemen, and welcoming home its own citizens. It is an honour for me to work in such a context and with such dedicated international partners and brave United Nations colleagues. The world should not squander this opportunity. We should reinforce success with increased engagement and resources in the coming period, and I am grateful for the Council’s continued support.

I thank Mr. Kay for his briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Sidikou. Mr. Sidikou: I am honoured and pleased to address the Security Council today on the situation in Somalia. I would like to brief the Council on three important developments  — the prevailing security situation in Somalia; my thoughts on the recently concluded joint African Union-United Nations benchmarking exercise; and the outcomes of our investigation of sexual exploitation and abuse and the steps that the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) has taken to ensure an effective prevention and response regime. There have also been significant political developments, especially relating to the federalization process, the constitutional review and the electoral process, that my Office has been supporting, together with the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and the Federal Government of Somalia, as my good friend and colleague Nick Kay discussed in his briefing this morning. With regard to the security situation, the overall prevailing security situation in Somalia can be described as having elevated terrorism threat levels characterized by a rise in Al-Shabaab activities, mainly owing to an increased number of attacks involving improvised explosive devices and targeted assassinations. Overall, Al-Shabaab activities are likely to continue, since its intention of carrying out terrorist attacks and its ability to do so have not diminished. Targeted assassinations seem to be their preferred tactic, owing to their high effectiveness and low cost. In response, however, we  — and by that I mean AMISOM, together with our Somali counterparts  — have boosted our joint operations, especially in urban centres, in order to continue to disrupt Al-Shabaab activities. In terms of offensive operations, I should emphasize that AMISOM troops, together with the Somali national army, have not relented in our efforts to defeat Al-Shabaab. Operation Eagle and Operation Indian Ocean have shown that AMISOM’s offensive operations against Al-Shaabab can produce positive results, particularly in reducing that terrorist group’s territorial control. I would also like to assure the Council that we will be reinvigorating operations against Al-Shabaab as part of the outcomes and recommendations of the recently concluded joint African Union-United Nations mission, and that there will soon be a more prominent resumption of offensive operations in some areas. For obvious operational security reasons, I will leave it at that. I would now like to turn to the second issue, relating to my thoughts on the outcomes of the joint African Union-United Nations mission on benchmarks for a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Somalia, and its recommendations for the next steps in the military campaign begun last month in Somalia from 14 to 25 April. AMISOM, the African Union (AU) Commission and UNSOM have initiated consultations with the troop-contributing countries and are working to secure their necessary buy-in on the recommendations. The joint mission reviewed the benchmarks for a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Somalia as outlined in resolution 2124 (2013), and found that, while progress was being made on various benchmarks at varying speeds, the situation in Somalia as a whole would not be conducive to the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation until the end of 2016, at the earliest. It is gratifying that, in its draft report, the joint AU-United Nations mission appreciates that, with the targeted support of partners, there has been considerable success in reducing Al-Shabaab’s territorial control and degrading its leadership. That, in turn, has created the essential space for the unfolding of the political process, especially the federalization process, albeit with uneven progress across the regions. The joint offensives of AMISOM and the Somali national army have also provided the space needed for stabilization efforts in the recovered areas, despite the fact that a number of important factors have posed challenges to it. While the joint operations were able to recover territory, Al-Shabaab has still retained certain capabilities, mostly employing asymmetric warfare tactics, that have affected the population’s confidence in the army and AMISOM and impeded further necessary action against it, largely because AMISOM does not have the configuration and resources to respond accordingly. In particular, the force’s effectiveness was undermined by a lack of most of the force enablers and multipliers authorized under resolution 2124 (2103), including the helicopters capable of giving it the degree of agility and flexibility it needs to adjust to Al-Shabaab’s change of tactics. Given the extent of the threat and the status of the political process, ending the surge in uniformed personnel before the end of 2016 could run a serious risk of reversals that could derail Vision 2016’s objectives and risk the success of the investment that has been made by all concerned. Finally, therefore, AMISOM’s continued presence is potentially required until the end of 2016. I therefore welcome the recommendation to extend the surge with a structured, targeted reconfiguration of AMISOM designed to respond to evolving realities. That extension will enable AMISOM to achieve three interlocking objectives. First, it will allow the Mission to resume offensive operations against Al-Shabaab, which will be conducted under an enhanced AMISOM chain of command, in a cross-sector manner when necessary, with specialized capabilities based on the use of Mission assets, including helicopters which may be generated from within or without the continent while recognizing the limitations and risks involved. Secondly, the extension will enable the consolidation and stabilization of the recovered areas, which will require a gradual shift to police and necessitate an agreement on the rebalancing of AMISOM uniformed personnel numbers at the right time, dictated by an agreed sequencing of operations that is continually adapted. The enabling of policing will free up troops for area security operations, which is a requirement for stabilization. In addition, the establishment of a joint AMISOM/UNSOM civilian presence will further enhance the recovery and stabilization efforts. Finally, the extension will enable AMISOM to secure main supply routes and other routes connecting with newly recovered areas and interim regional administrations, which will ensure free access within and through the newly recovered areas, which in turn will facilitate governance and the delivery of services and humanitarian assistance. It will also enable freedom of movement and force protection for military, Government and local authorities and enable resupply and access for commercial and market traffic. While the foregoing are noble objectives to which I am sure the Council will give its blessings, I would like to highlight some key assumptions on which these laudable objectives are premised and to which we need to give more careful consideration. If AMISOM is to achieve these objectives and if we are to make the right decisions at this crucial point in our support to Somalia, we will need to make some hard decisions regarding, in particular, first, our support to the Somalia security forces. The contribution, assumed by the Somali national army on the basis of resolution 2124 (2013), did not materialize fast enough. When it did materialize, the sustainability of the required follow-through operations was severely constrained by a combination of shortage in resources and considerable weaknesses in the chain of command. Today, the Somali authorities have developed the Guulwade (Victory) Plan, which we should all support in a coordinated manner. This is critical if we are to turn the Somali national army into a more effective partner to AMISOM. Secondly, we will have to make a decision regarding the logistical support package to AMISOM. Although it has significantly evolved, logistical support has seen shortfalls that have been an important element among many that contributed to the lack of a sustained pace in operations. The approach in logistical support must therefore take a new direction. The planned strategic review of the United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia (UNSOA) is therefore critical and should, inter alia, recognize the need for an expansion of UNSOA’s quantitative and qualitative capacities as well as the need to adapt the Support Office to the nature of AMISOM operations, as well as to its other clients. Thirdly, the benchmarking exercise proposed two recommendations on the role of the AMISOM police component. The first is the deployment of formed police units to provide operational and logistical support and bolster the confidence of the national police force. The second is to deploy individually deployed police officers to provide support for the vetting, recruitment, training and mentoring of local Somali police personnel. As Somalia continues to work towards establishing rule of law institutions, the Federal Government has signed memorandums of understanding with the interim regional administrations. This is a timely development, and AMISOM police will support the recruitment, vetting, training and deployment of 600 police officers for each of the administrations. The role of AMISOM police in support of Somalia necessitates the establishment of a support package for the Somali police force that comprises elementary infrastructure, rudimentary equipment and sustainment items required to commence policing operations in the regions. The final report of the benchmarking exercise jointly developed by both the AU and the United Nations will be submitted to the Security Council soon, and I look forward to the Council’s consideration and endorsement of the report’s recommendations. I would like to conclude by addressing the outcomes of the independent investigations of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse allegedly perpetrated by AMISOM personnel as reported by Human Rights Watch in June 2014. As I have stated on several occasions, I would like to reiterate solemnly before Council that AMISOM’s leadership is committed to enforcing the African Union’s zero tolerance policy. We will continue to respect the dignity of all Somali women and girls and uphold the religious and cultural values of Somalia as AMISOM continues to implement its mandate to restore peace and stability in the country. Beyond concluding that two of the allegations contained in the Human Rights Watch report are indeed cases of proven sexual exploitation and abuse perpetrated by AMISOM soldiers, the investigation team made a number of observations and recommendations to strengthen existing mechanisms that the AU Commission and the troop- and police-contributing countries to AMISOM have put in place to address sexual exploitation and abuse. These recommendations are informing our response and we have already taken the following specific actions. I have issued directives to the Force Commander, the Police Commissioner and other senior Mission leadership to immediately implement the recommendations contained in the investigation report. We have moved all the shops out of the AMISOM base camp. We are restructuring the camp to prevent unauthorized access by AMISOM personnel to Somalis living within the Mission area. The AU Commission has recruited and deployed a Conduct and Discipline Officer to the Mission. We are instituting a hotline in AMISOM in order to specifically respond to the challenges for victims and witnesses that were noted in the investigation report. As a means of encouraging more reporting of sexual exploitation and abuse cases and confidence-building, the AU Commission, with input from AMISOM, has developed a whistle-blower policy that we expect will be passed by the policy organs of the AU this year. The Commission, with input from AMISOM, has also prepared a draft annex to the existing memorandum of understanding between the Commission and the troop- and police-contributing countries intended to set up a more robust response to sexual exploitation and abuse and improve prevention efforts, accountability and reporting of the troop- and police-contributing countries on sexual exploitation and abuse, as well as to ensure that victims receive the support they need. Given that conduct and discipline is primarily a responsibility of the troop- and police-contributing countries, the Commission has shared the detailed report with those countries and requested their response and comments on the findings ahead of a meeting with them and Somalia in order to agree on the concrete steps to be taken to implement the recommendations contained in the report.

I thank Ambassador Sidikou for his briefing. I now give the floor to the Prime Minister of Somalia.

There has been political change in Somalia in recent months, as Special Representative Kay and Ambassador Sidikou informed the Security Council. There has been some tangible progress, and the Federal Republic of Somalia has put forth the Gullwade (Victory) Plan designed to rapidly enhance the capacity of the Somali national army to fight Al-Shabaab alongside the African Union Mission in Somalia, in order to respond to the call to make the Somali national army more effective in joint operations. I urge our partners to support this plan so as to enable the army to then assume more responsibility to secure the country. A crucial component of the plan and the delivery of Somalia’s defence sector is the process of integrating regional militias into the Somali army. With the beginning of the operation of the National Integration Commission, under the auspices of the Ministry of Defence, on 12 May, we will now begin to see some real momentum and tangible progress in this priority area. The agreed allocation of regional Mission forces to be transferred to the Somali national army indicates a clear and strong commitment on the part of regional organizations to embrace the federalization of our armed forces. This is related to the integration of 2,880 from Jubbaland, where Al-Shabaab still maintains several strongholds. As I speak, the Defence Minister is in Jubbaland to kick-tart the integration process. Another pressing priority is the integration of 3,000 militia personnel allocated from Puntland. The Puntland forces are already fighting Al-Shabaab, which has established another stronghold in the Galgala Mountains, following the pressure of the military campaign in south-west Somalia last year. Puntland is expected to be the ultimate theatre of fighting against Al-Shabaab due to the difficult terrain, which provides shelter for the group shelter. We need to defeat Al-Shabaab and to prevent it from consolidating and spreading its presence in Puntland, before the situation becomes too serious to handle. The Al-Shabaab threat in Puntland is heightened by the events unfolding in Yemen. If extremist elements come and take root in Puntland together with Al-Shabaab, it will be very difficult to dislodge and defeat them in future. We have a window to address this situation now. I therefore appeal to the Security Council to authorize the United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia to extend a non-lethal support package to the additional 3,000 personnel from Puntland, earmarked for the integration of the Somali national army. That would bring the total number of army troops benefiting from the United Nations support package to 13,900. Looking ahead, it is also vital that we incorporate into this process the integration of regional police forces. That will play a central role in accelerating the transition to policing piracy, at the federal and regional levels alike, which we all know is essential to long-term stability in Somalia. On the political front, Vision 2016 remains the policy framework that encapsulates our political objectives. There has been progress in moving ahead with the process in the central regions, and the federal structures are taking shape quite rapidly. The last remaining state, Hiiraan state, is about to be kick- started in the next week or so. The Federal Government is also continuing to engage regional leaders. At our last meeting in Garoowe, progress was made in the constitutional review process, including the security sector, power- and work-sharing and the issue of force integration. Federal and state leaders agreed to establish a committee to review work-sharing arrangements and to move forward on the constitutional review process. Progress under the New Deal Compact has been quite positive. On 2 April, and a concessional facility approved in principle six joint projects to be implemented by the Federal Government of Somalia and six organizations with the support channelled through the United Nations or through partner transfers. This is a crucial step towards unlocking resources and accelerating the delivery of tangible results. In May 2015, the Council of Ministers nominated members of the National Independent Electoral Commission, the Judicial Service Commission and the Boundary Commission. The operationalization of these Commissions is a top priority for the Federal Government, and we expect the Federal Parliament to endorse them very soon. Efforts to establish new structures in the regions are progressing. A reconciliation conference is ongoing. Planning has begun for the organization process towards cooperation of federal states in the last remaining state. The establishment of the Jubbaland Parliament was a welcome development. However, there have been some issues that arose from the process. The Federal Government is working closely with the Internal Jubba Organization and opposition leaders to find compromise and accommodations to solve the crisis over the formation of the Jubbaland regional assembly. Last but not least, the Federal Government is working very closely on repatriation with Kenya so as to have an orderly return of our refugees from the Dadaab camp. We are also working with authorities in Yemen to assist the swift process of refugee returns to Somalia. We are faced with a situation that is of great concern to the United Nations and all parties in the region: that of dealing with the human cost of the violence in Yemen. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees expects 100,000 refugees from Yemen in Somalia over the coming six months. Somalia is already home to approximately 1 million internally displaced persons. We do not have the internal resources or the capacity to absorb additional refugees. We therefore appeal to the Council to mobilize the United Nations system and donors so as to develop a contingency plan on the ground for the refugees fleeing from Yemen. I thank the Council for this opportunity to address it and I hope that it will consider our appeals.

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.