S/PV.8440 Security Council

As this is the first formal meeting of the Security Council this year, I should like to extend my warm wishes on the occasion of the New Year to all members of the Security Council, the United Nations and the Secretariat. In presiding over this first formal meeting of the Council in 2019, I am happy to welcome the new members Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Indonesia, South Africa. We look forward to their participation in the work of the Council. Their experience and wisdom will be of invaluable assistance in the discharge of the Council’s responsibilities. I also take this opportunity to express the Council’s gratitude to the outgoing members — the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Ethiopia, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands and Sweden — for their important contributions to the work of the Council during their terms. Expression of thanks to the outgoing President

I should also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute, on behalf of the Council, to His Excellency Ambassador Kacou Houadja Léon Adom, Permanent Representative of Côte d’Ivoire, for his service as President of the Council for the month of December 2018. I am sure I speak for all members of the Council in expressing deep appreciation to Ambassador Adom and his team for the great diplomatic skill with which they conducted the Council’s business last month. Adoption of the agenda

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 the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary- General for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia; and Mr. Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia and Head of the African Union Mission in Somalia. Mr. Madeira is joining this meeting via video- teleconference from Dar es Salaam. 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/2018/1149, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on Somalia. I now give the floor to Mr. Haysom. Mr. Haysom: I arrived in Somalia on 3 October and was well received by prominent officials of the Federal Government and of the regional states. I have been impressed with the Government’s far-reaching reform agenda and its commitment to practical implementation through road maps for delivery in each relevant sector. Somalia has maintained a positive trajectory, but continuing political turbulence could throw it off course. In December, the International Monetary Fund completed its first review of the third staff-monitored programme, noting the satisfactory performance by the Federal Government. In recognition of the country’s significant progress, the World Bank’s 2019-2022 country partnership framework unlocked International Development Association financing through pre-arrears clearance grants totalling $80 million to strengthen basic service delivery, improve financial management capabilities and restore economic resilience. Improvements in public financial management and an expansion of the domestic revenue base, with a recorded fiscal balance surplus of $8 million in September, means that 56 per cent of the Federal Government’s $340 million budget for 2019 will be financed from domestic revenue, with the rest provided by donors. I want to commend the Office of the Prime Minister for leading Government efforts to tackle corruption, including the announcement on 9 December of the Federal Government’s intention to ratify the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Turning to political progress, the road map on inclusive politics covers elections, the constitutional review, federalism and reconciliation. These are components essential to Somalia’s State-building project. The draft electoral law has been submitted to the Cabinet, and amendments from political parties, civil society and the international community have been provided. The delay in submitting the draft electoral law to Parliament will see a key milestone missed as per the Government’s commitment to have the electoral law adopted by December 2018. This could have a possible impact on the timelines for the electoral process. However, the National Independent Electoral Commission is still making headway with pre-voter registration preparations, including the recruitment and training of new staff, the planning of the mapping of voter registration sites and the establishment and consolidation of its subnational structure. So far, 35 political parties have been registered. Technical cooperation has continued on the constitutional review process, laying the groundwork for real progress at the national level. The Federalization Negotiation Technical Committee has been negotiating draft political agreements on justice, mineral-resource sharing, the allocation of powers and fiscal federalism. Women’s meaningful participation in these decisions is essential. Members of the women’s caucuses from both houses of Federal Parliament recently held the second annual conference for women representatives of federal and state assemblies to consider the constitutional review process and preparations for the national elections. Despite these positive developments, the stalemate between the Federal Government and the federal member states continues to impede concrete progress in defining the federal model and in building institutions of State, as well as in the implementation of the national security architecture. The halt to cooperation between the Federal Government and the federal member states was announced by the Council of Interstate Cooperation on 8 September. After visits to all the regions by Ambassador Madeira and myself, there have been encouraging Somali-led initiatives to restore relations. President Farmajo offered direct dialogue behind closed doors, and in October Prime Minister Khayre established a six-member ministerial committee to work with the Upper House to end the stalemate. However, the landscape is complicated by the electoral processes that are currently under way in several of the member states. Politics is complex in any nation, but in one that is still establishing its norms and institutional parameters, and still debating the roles and responsibilities of its respective governance structures, there is a risk that complexity might shift to conflict. We witnessed this during the electoral process in South-West state. Allegations of interference by the Federal Government and the violence that erupted following the arrest of one of the candidates, a former Al-Shabaab deputy leader, marred the process and does not bode well for the upcoming electoral processes in other regions or for the 2020 national elections. This may also have implications for the likelihood of future Al-Shabaab defectors who may be considering taking a political path instead of that of violence. Regrettably, 15 people, including a regional assembly member, were killed during the violence. Strains between the executive and the legislature also came to the surface on 9 December, when members of the House of the People submitted a motion for the impeachment of President Farmajo. Completing the demanding legislative agenda requires continued cooperation between the executive and legislature. Discord between the two can seriously hinder Somalia’s progress. I welcome the recent progress made, however, on the passage of the 2019 budget and the pension law before Parliament adjourned for recess. I strongly condemn the mortar attack on our premises that took place two days ago and the casualties caused by such use of force. In no country are attacks against the United Nations acceptable. As the Council is aware, three of our staff were injured, one seriously but not critically. It may also be aware that responsibility for this attack was claimed by Al-Shabaab. I welcome the Federal Government’s condemnation of the attack. Al-Shabaab remains the biggest source of insecurity in Somalia. Despite the ongoing operations to degrade that terrorist group, it still has the capacity to conduct indiscriminate attacks on Somali citizens and to target electoral delegates, the Somali security forces and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). As AMISOM and the Somali security forces operations have succeeded in denying Al-Shabaab the possibility of launching conventional attacks, it now relies on improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and targeted assassinations. It is of note that on 9 November, Al-Shabaab claimed responsibility for a complex attack against the Sahafi Hotel in Mogadishu initiated by three vehicle-borne IEDs. More than 50 people, including seven Al-Shabaab militants, were killed in the attack. In Mogadishu and Puntland, elements that are pro-Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham have targeted business owners using extortion to extract revenue and carrying out assassinations. It appears that the cause of conflict between the two extremist groups is now primarily driven by financial interests. Their focus is now on extortion of so-called taxes. In addition to military operations, it is therefore important to tackle this aspect as well as the infrastructure used by Al-Shabaab to assemble IEDs. There has been some progress in building the institutional capacity of the security sector to tackle these threats. Biometric registration programmes for the Somali National Army and the Somali Police Force are forging ahead. An operational readiness assessment of the regional forces is under way, and these processes will, hopefully, assist in the mapping of regional capabilities ahead of the future integration of these forces into the national security architecture. The implementation of the transition plan made an encouraging start, but has recently slackened. There will need to be a more comprehensive and better-coordinated planning process to achieve the more ambitious transition locations in the timelines contained in the Somali transition plan. This must be guided by respect for human rights and appropriate measures towards stabilization, as agreed in the transition plan. Overall, the approach to transition should be conditions-based, with progress in building effective Somali security institutions as the main factor setting the pace. We have continued to support conflict resolution and conflict prevention efforts in several parts of the country, in collaboration with other partners. The Intergovernmental Authority on Development and the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) engaged in shuttle diplomacy between Puntland and Somaliland to help them de-escalate the tension in Tukaraq and find a sustainable solution. As a result of the joint mediation effort, a de facto ceasefire is holding. At the regional level, the tripartite agreement signed between the leaders of Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea on 6 September is an opportunity for Somalia to strengthen its regional ties and provide further support to Somalia’s economic, political and security progress. The humanitarian crisis in Somalia remains among the most complex and long-standing in the world. Armed conflict and widespread violence, as well as recurrent climatic shocks, perpetuate high levels of humanitarian need and protection concerns. While the humanitarian situation has improved compared to last year, owing to above-average Gu rains, needs remain high, with 4.2 million people in need of assistance and protection. Of those who need assistance and protection services, almost two-thirds are children. Around 1.5 million are severely food insecure at crisis or emergency levels. Around 2.6 million people are internally displaced. The 2019 humanitarian response plan, to be announced this month, targets 3.4 million people, or 81 per cent of the 4.2 million people in need of assistance, requiring $1.l billion for its implementation. Respect for human rights and international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians in the context of the conflict remain key for Somalia’s transition and sustainable peace. UNSOM has documented 1,384 civilian casualties in 2018, with Al-Shabaab accounting for 60 per cent of these. Progress has been made, including in taking steps to establish institutions that protect human rights, such as the federal independent national human rights commission. I encourage the Federal Government to finalize the commission’s foundation. Somalia has laid the foundations to make significant progress in 2019. The plans are in place and the milestones are clear. The management of the upcoming regional elections in 2019 and the remaining political processes, particularly the review of the Constitution, will determine whether Somalia makes further progress or not. Achieving this will require all role players to pull in the same direction. Somalia has set that direction, and I hope that the Council will be updated on the progress in the year to come.

I thank Mr. Haysom for his informative briefing. I now give the floor to Mr. Madeira. Mr. Madeira: I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to brief the Council on the situation in Somalia once again. It is always a great honour to speak before this organ. In my address to the Council last September (see S/PV.8352), I spoke of signs of movement forward in Somalia. Allow me today to highlight three areas of action that, if properly supported and sustainably implemented, can remain a source of great optimism and a force for change in the direction of our concerted effort to help deliver for the people of Somalia a reconciled, peaceful and prosperous country. It has been almost two years since Somalia successfully effected its second peaceful transfer of power at the highest echelons of Government in a political process that saw the establishment of a bicameral Parliament, relatively more participatory national suffrage, the election of President Farmajo and the appointment of Prime Minister Hassan Khayre. This success was possible owing in part to the concerted role of international partners, including the strong partnership that exists between the African Union and the United Nations. Taking advantage of the winds of change blowing in the region, Somalia was able to capitalize on the positive aspects of these changes and accumulated significant gains both regionally and beyond. Regionally we are seeing Somalia increasingly seeking to complement its internal mechanisms with regionally centred security and economic cooperation and good- neighbourliness projection and approaches, especially with Ethiopia and Eritrea. The importance of the regional tripartite meetings that have been taking place at the different levels between these three countries cannot be underestimated in terms of their potential to foster and enhance mutual trust and bring about a more cohesive, focused and people-centred regional harmony and integration. Beyond the region, the Gulf and the Horn of Africa share together a long history of economic, religious and political engagement. In recent years, the Gulf States have increasingly become major economic and political actors in the Horn region once again. Business relations between the Gulf and the Horn of Africa are substantial. Approximately $13-billion worth of Gulf investment can be traced in the Horn from 2000 to 2017. Large-scale migration from the Horn to the Gulf has a multifaceted mutual impact and influence on both the Horn and the Gulf in terms of political, business and religious dynamics, economic growth, peace and stability. Being part of these multifaceted dynamics and seeking to influence them in a positive direction, rather than shying away from them, is vital for the brighter future of Somalia. It is therefore encouraging to see that, in addition to positive diplomatic overtures from the Gulf States, in October Prime Minister Hassan Khayre paid a successful visit to Riyadh after approximately 18 months of reportedly challenging relations. The Gulf crisis spillover effect that had threatened to destabilize Somalia’s cohesion is slowly registering improvements. It is important that this trend continue and that the strains in the relations that still exist between Somalia and other Gulf States be diffused. While 2018 has demonstrated that there is room for optimism for Somalia in some key areas, more work will be required by all Somalia’s stakeholders. It is at home, in Somalia, that inclusive politics must be seen and perceived to be working in terms of power-sharing, resource-sharing and land issues. It is important that substantial efforts continue to be invested in ensuring that the issues at the base of volatile relations between the Federal Government of Somalia and the leaders of some of the federal member states, as well as those between the House of the People and the executive, are addressed in a predictable, satisfactory and sustainable manner. The relationship between the Federal Government and some of the federal member states remains a key concern for the African Union. As part of the African Union’s own efforts, carried out side by side with those of the United Nations to help in this regard, I agreed to undertake a series of diplomatic engagements with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Mr. Nicholas Haysom. Our aim was to explore avenues for supporting a consensual solution to outstanding disputes between some federal member states and the Federal Government. That was the same message that the African Union Peace and Security Council offered to the Federal Government and federal member states during their successful field trip to Somalia in November. Both the Federal Government and the federal member states deserve praise for the landmark agreements reached at the National Security Council meeting in Baidoa on the electoral model that will determine how power can be accessed in a peaceful, increasingly participatory and democratic manner and how federalism will be deepened in terms of power- sharing and resource-sharing between the Federal Government and the Governments of the federal member states. In reality, the issue is not about what needs to be done in that regard. The Baidoa meeting has already decided on that. The issue is about how it can be done, in what time frame and with what resources. The issue of resources to implement those agreements is very important. Success in that process will be vital to Somalia’s cohesion and lasting reconciliation. Throughout 2018, efforts were made to develop legislative and institutional frameworks that will be essential to the visibility, assurance and the predictability of Government action in harnessing people’s legitimate expectations and to the holding of landmark elections next year. The same should be said with regard to the regional elections that will take place next year. Proper legislation and predictions will prevent any future squabbles and conflict. A key milestone towards that effort was the successful conclusion of the national constitutional convention in 2018. It is hoped that this will strengthen rule of law and advance reconciliation across Somalia. Building on that legislative and institutional framework, the end of 2018 saw the Federal Government announce progress on the constitutional review process. To date, there has been a review of five out of a total of fifteen chapters of the Constitution. With that progress, the African Union looks forwards to its early completion in 2019. The urgent need to expedite the adoption of crucial legislation and build duly agreed and Parliament- sanctioned institutional frameworks to shape the new State of Somalia cannot be overemphasized. If carried out in a mutually agreed manner, it will go a long way towards addressing the issues at the source of recurrent political tensions and removing perceived or real grey areas in the country. Although agreements so far achieved in that context are in their early stages, more discussions and negotiations between the Federal Government and federal member states will be required and, consequently, so will more and generous support from Security Council members. Throughout 2018, Somalia’s economy continued to move in the direction of recovery. Some of its notable successes have been the completion of the second 12-month International Monetary Fund staff-monitored programme — now on its third review, which is expected to be completed this year — and Somalia’s eligibility to receive the urgently needed financial support. In that regard, the African Union welcomes the direct budgetary support of the European Union in the form of €100 million and grants worth €80 million from the World Bank. The third area of great interest remains security. The Federal Government is increasingly showing readiness to confront risks and tackle issues that will allow its security forces to take over the country’s security responsibility from the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). The push for reform has been at its core, particularly in the areas of biometric registration, payroll reform and the ongoing operational readiness assessment of Somalia’s regional forces, which is a requirement for force integration, as part of the national security architecture. Throughout 2018, a noticeable commitment was the restructuring of the Somali National Army, with the appointment of several senior military commanders. Security reform efforts have taken place in Mogadishu with the restructuring of the national intelligence and security agency, the integration of its militarized units into the Somali police, and the deployment of the 14 October brigade in areas such as Afgooye, Balad, Busra and Merca. In an effort to offer a durable solution to Somali security sector reform, the National Security Council in Baidoa endorsed the transition plan. As part of the plan, both the Federal Government and federal member states agreed to focus on three pilot areas: the hand-over of Mogadishu stadium, securing the main supply route between Mogadishu and Baidoa and the reoccupation of Lego. The continued threat posed by Al-Shabaab, as witnessed by the recent mortar attack against the AMISOM compound in Mogadishu two days ago, is a reminder of the work still to be done. Both Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State continue to maintain an active presence across Somalia, with increased lethality capacity. As I often observed during my briefings to the Council in 2018, the threat of Al-Shabaab will ultimately require continued efforts to deny the group the capacity to recruit from among the population, the completion of the national security architecture, increased integration of regional forces and further progress on the comprehensive approach to security. The adoption by the Government of Somalia of the national strategy for preventing and countering violent extremism is a very welcome development in that direction. For its part, AMISOM will continue to support those frameworks and the important security reforms being implemented by the Federal Government. At the inception of AMISOM’s current mandate, the understanding was that the Mission’s efforts would focus on transiting from Somalia. In that regard, permit me to reiterate that AMISOM is actively working towards its exit from Somalia. An essential part of that has been the African Union’s endorsement of the transition plan, which is centred on the implementation of AMISOM’s exit strategy, particularly in helping to empower the Somali security forces to take over security responsibilities. Based on that reality and since my last briefing to the Council, AMISOM has undertaken a series of activities as part of realizing its exit strategy. Allow me to highlight some of those activities. First, in accordance with resolution 2431 (2018), AMISOM’s military undertook a series of robust operations across its areas of responsibility, aimed at flushing out Al-Shabaab and recovering territory from the terrorist group. Recently, these have included joint AMISOM-Somali National Army operations to liberate the Somali coastal areas that connect Mogadishu to Merca. Similarly, AMISOM forces have conducted joint operations in Jubaland, Shabelle and HirShabelle, specifically in El-Wak and Beledweyne up to Jalalaqsi. Following the transfer of security responsibility for the Mogadishu stadium, AMISOM’s military continues to work in support of the transition plan, with its immediate focus on transferring the security of Somalia’s military academy by next month, February. As part of that exercise, AMISOM’s Burundi contingent has begun relocating from the academy to its base in Jowhar. With the operational planning for Mogadishu- Lego-Baidoa completed, AMISOM’s military stands ready to jointly execute the operation in the coming weeks with its Somali National Army counterparts. On the other hand, AMISOM police have also continued to carry out a range of activities in furtherance of the Mission’s exit strategy — and, I would like to add, with very limited personnel strength. Even with those limitations, AMISOM’s police continue to maintain its presence across Somalia, notably in Mogadishu, Baidoa, Beledweyne, Kismaayo and Jowhar, supporting the empowerment of the Somali police force through training and mentoring. Currently, and in support of the transition plan, the AMISOM police component is continuing its support to the operational readiness assessment of the regional forces, which has now reached Puntland. This is a process that will eventually support the integration of the regional forces, as stipulated in the national security architecture. Further, the AMISOM civilian component continues to play a vital role in supporting the Mission’s uniformed personnel across the AMISOM area of responsibility, as mandated by the Security Council. In that context, I am happy to report that on 30 December, AMISOM deployed its first-ever civilian staff to work alongside its uniformed personnel in Jowhar and Kismaayo. Over the coming weeks and as AMISOM’s civilian staff begins to deploy across other federal member states, it will become important for the Council to stand ready to consider strengthening the role of the AMISOM civilian component. In that connection, I want to thank Mr. Haysom and Ms. Filipetto, Head of the United Nations Support Office in Somalia, for their unreserved support in the deployment of AMISOM’s civilian component through the provision of living space, office space and other logistical support. Last November, in close collaboration with the Federal Government and federal member states, AMISOM conducted an exercise to develop its revised concept of operations. During the mandated exercise, key issues were agreed on, including the reconfiguration of the AMISOM military, the resectorization of our forces and the increased presence of the AMISOM civilian component across its sectors, in support of its armed forces. The AMISOM revised concept of operations for the transition period is consistent with the transition plan and with resolution 2431 (2018), and was approved in November by the Chiefs of Defence Forces of AMISOM troop- and police-contributing countries. As the African Union looks forward to the Peace and Security Council formally endorsing the concept of operations in the coming weeks, AMISOM and the Federal Government will begin detailed operational planning this month. Last December, under the framework of the Somalia-African Union Task Force, the civilian, military and police components of both AMISOM and the Federal Government of Somalia met as part of a brainstorming exercise on the elaboration of the detailed implementation plan for the concept of operations. The African Union’s expectation is that future meetings on operationalizing the concept of operations will include the participation of key international partners.

I thank Mr. Madeira for his informative briefing.

I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on assuming the presidency of the Security Council for this month and to assure you of my full support. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate the new members of the Council and to wish them every success in their term. I would like to begin by first expressing Somalia’s firm condemnation of the recent mortar attack on Aden Abdulle International Airport in Mogadishu, which hit the United Nations compound. We have assured the Security Council that our law enforcement agencies promptly began investigations with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice. We wish the injured a swift recovery and we stand in solidarity with the United Nations family at this time. I also want to thank Mr. Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Mr. Madeira, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission for Somalia, for their valuable and comprehensive briefings today. Since the most recent Council briefing on this issue (see S/PV.8352), Somalia, led by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmajo, has irrefutably continued to progress on all fronts. Somalia’s forward momentum has been achieved with the strong support of our partners. We pay tribute to the ongoing commitment and sacrifice of the personnel of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and we are grateful for the collaboration and support of the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union and all of our international partners. Today, I wish to call member’s attention to the significant developments we have achieved with their collaboration. In the span of almost two years, we have advanced the organizational structure for the implementation of our Government’s agenda through four distinct road maps: inclusive politics, security and justice, economic recovery and social development. Those road maps have enabled the Government to track the implementation of projects, improve coordination among ministries and agencies and enhance accountability and transparency at all levels; most critically, they will allow Somalis to streamline the support received from our international partners. During the seventy-third session of the General Assembly, Somalia was elected as a member of the Human Rights Council for a three-year term, beginning this month. On this occasion, Somalia reaffirms its commitment, at the national and global levels, to the implementation, promotion and protection of human rights and the principles and standards common to all, enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and relevant international instruments. In October, Somalia acceded to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, becoming the 178th country to do so. In the same month, our Parliament approved a draft law prepared by the Ministry of Human Rights and signed by President Farmajo on 31 December. That is a milestone and a tremendous achievement for our country, and a great step to promote and ensure a full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons living with disabilities in Somalia. Directly attributable to this new mode of business, let me also highlight other key achievements we have made. Somalia is rebranding and taking its rightful place in the region. The end of 2018 marked an exciting time of regeneration and partnership in the Horn of Africa. This new reality will increase regional cooperation to boost economic initiatives and promote peace and security across the Horn of Africa, and is an example of the active role that Somalia can play in the region under President Farmajo’s leadership. On inclusive politics, we have laid important foundations for our reform agenda by reaching an agreement on the electoral system for 2020 and completing 50 per cent of the constitutional review process. In order to put in place a legislative framework for the election, we have reviewed the political parties law and drafted an electoral law. With a view to deepening federalism, various elections are under way in many federal member states and are taking place as scheduled, while we continue to support the devolution of Government functions and powers to the different administrative levels of Government. Our working relationship with our federal member states is becoming stronger. We are implementing a joint developed framework for security support with HirShabelle state and are currently finalizing the same with South-West state. Building the trust of Somali citizens in their Government is a key part of our political reform, including through the tackling of crippling corruption. In that regard, we have adopted an anti-corruption law and established an anti-corruption commission, and the cabinet has endorsed the federal justice and corrections model — a key step in strengthening the rule of law in Somalia. In order to deepen federalism and address practical issues, we have reached a resource-management agreement on the ownership, management and sharing of fisheries, petroleum and mineral resources. Lastly, in order to build trust among Somalis and ensure that our political reform is generally inclusive, my President has led reconciliation efforts across the country. In the city of Galkayo in central Somalia, the President brought the parties together to resolve the conflict and broken relations. In order to resolve the conflict, the Government has followed up with the integration of local forces to enhance the peace. In Tukaraq, in the north-western part of Somalia, the President is leading mediation efforts to de-escalade tensions and in the district of Merca in Lower Shabelle, his support has strengthened the local community reconciliation initiative and benefited Lower Shabelle security along the coastal line. With regard to security, the Federal Government of Somalia has made considerable progress in the implementation of the Somali transition plan and the national security architecture. Through the security and justice road map, we have broken down the task into priority areas to ensure that activities are not implemented on an ad hoc basis but are concentrated in areas and aligned with other security efforts in order to multiply their effect. The Somali National Army has conducted independent operations in support of the transition implementation in Lower and Middle Shabelle. Key areas, such as the coastal town of Merca, were cleared and have been held by the Somali National Army to enable stabilization, peacebuilding and reconciliation initiatives. The implementation of the transition has also continued in the capital, with the Somali police forces taking over the security responsibilities for the Mogadishu stadium from the African Union Mission in Somalia. We, the federal Government, have restructured the National Intelligence and Security Agency into a civilian intelligence-gathering agency, moving operational units to the Somali police force. That is no mean feat. In line with our reform agenda, the House of the People just this week adopted a pension and gratuity bill that will pave the way for the disengagement of a large number of inactive civil servants. We continue to restructure the Somali security forces and redefine their roles and responsibilities in support of the payroll reform and the biometric registration, and our national registration force is nearing completion. With regard to economic recovery, the Federal Government of Somalia has achieved success owing to its relentless fight against corruption through widespread economic reforms. For the first time in many years, high-ranking officials have been arrested and charged in connection with embezzlement. The Ministry of Finance is now the only line Ministry entrusted with revenue collection, which was previously collected by various other Government institutions. Domestic revenue has increased. Taxes and Government fees are paid directly to the Central Bank of Somalia. As a result of those key policies and strengthened fiscal discipline, our tax base has expanded. A staff- level agreement has been reached with the International Monetary Fund on the completion of the third staff- monitored programme, thereby making significant progress to pave the way for debt relief. In partnership with the United Nations, the World Bank and the European Union, we have developed the recovery and resilience framework as a means to achieve long- term economic and social responsibility to address vulnerability. We are stepping up our efforts to prepare the ninth national development plan. Structured according to four key road maps, it will serve as a basis for an interim poverty-reduction strategy paper — a document that will lay out Somalia’s development goals, challenges and financing requirements. In our efforts to achieve a prosperous society through the social development road map, we are working to establish policies, strategies and regulations for the enhancement of affordable and accessible basic social services, such as health care, education, clean water and electricity. In line with the road map, we are working on reinstating Somali pride and ownership in the rebuilding of our State through our flagship social mobilization campaign. That programme creates civic engagement and enhances the culture of volunteerism. For the first time in our national budget, we have tripled the budget for the delivery of basic social services, such as health care and education for our people. Much of the aforementioned progress has been achieved with minimum direct investment and in partnership with the Federal Government of Somalia. Real partnership requires commitment, trust and mutual respect. Over the nearly past two years, we have listened carefully to our partners and will continue to encourage an open and frank dialogue. We acknowledge and offer our appreciation to the United Nations agencies that continue to provide vital support and assistance to the Somali people. Somalia has been a proud member of the United Nations since gaining its independence in 1960 and is committed to the values and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Moreover, the principles of respect for the rule of law, freedom of expression and assembly, fairness, good governance, transparency and due process are all enshrined in our provisional Constitution. Ultimately, our leaders’ decisions are subject to the close scrutiny of our legislative and judiciary systems. Those robust checks and balances, while protecting the separation of powers, also ensure accountability and fairness. Recognizing that our Government obtains legitimacy first and foremost from its people, we have ensured that public engagement is a critical pillar in our approach to governance. That is why my Government enjoys the confidence and overwhelming support of the Somali people. Our youthful nation is finding its voice and establishing new forms of debate and active accountability through public forums. We are proud of our active and vocal citizens, and we encourage their engagement with their Government and elected officials. We believe that our legitimacy and credibility and, ultimately, the impact of our decisions depend on the wishes and interests of our people. The Somali people want Somalia to have its rightful place in the community of nations, with mutual respect and reciprocity. The Somali people demand that their Government assume responsibility for its own decisions and shape their future, with Somalia leading international support, not international support leading Somalia. We therefore have a duty to re-establish Somalia’s position in the world and represent the interests of Somalis actively on the world stage. For the pride and protection of the Somali people, as their representatives we have a duty to give them a voice and represent their wishes and aspirations. Allow me to address the issue at hand. Somalia distinguishes between the institutions that we are part of and individual conduct having a detrimental effect on our fragile nations. Our Government is taking Somalia to a new future. It is no longer transitional in nature but a sovereign nation with all its rights and privileges. We are battling terrorism, clan mentalities and corruption. It is our expectation that the leadership of the United Nations will support that strategic picture. The Member States represented here will agree that proscribed individuals from Al-Shabaab or other terrorist organizations sanctioned by this very institution cannot assume leadership positions without going through a stringent, established rehabilitation programme. During the past two federal electoral cycles, United Nations representatives in Mogadishu have reiterated again and again that the candidature and potential election of any individual with a history of violent extremism would represent a regressive step. Therefore, while we strive to re-establish the rule of law and to end the culture of impunity, we reject the criticism and attempts to rebrand resurgent terrorists as ice-cream salesmen before they have redeemed themselves. Finally, as a maturing nation undergoing a challenging evolution, we do not shy away from the task ahead of us as we are hard at work laying the foundation for generations to come. The Federal Government of Somalia remains committed to its reform agenda to establish effective institutions that abide by our Constitution, respect the human rights of all citizens, adhere to international humanitarian law and create forces that are accountable, transparent and able to defend the people, sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia. In those endeavours, we continue to promote the respect of human rights and commit to fully investigate any violations or abuses against our people. The challenges facing Somalia are complex, but Somalia is gradually taking the lead in addressing them through Somali-led initiatives. As we fulfil our responsibility as a sovereign nation, I recall that the speakers in this Chamber often call on host Governments to act on their responsibility to govern and to identify national solutions to challenges. Somali has demonstrated a strong political will to do so. That should be applauded, not extinguished. Somalia continues to make considerable progress across an ambitious and challenging reform agenda. We cannot do so alone; we are grateful for the support of international partners and their commitment to Somalia. That support will be most effective when it is delivered in line with objectives we have set out in our road map and when it is directed towards Somali priorities. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners to align their support and to build a bridge and a bright prosperous future for Somalia. I cannot conclude my remarks without once again reiterating our appeal to the Security Council that the United Nations and its representatives have a duty — even an obligation — to respect their mandate not to interfere in our internal affairs, and to let the Somalis control their own destiny. We believe that collaboration with the United Nations on that basis is more likely to have a concrete positive outcome. With the help of our partners, Somalia is on the right path to recovery from several decades of civil war and anarchy. The Somali Government is committed to bringing political stability to the country and will take the measures necessary to maintain those hard- earned gains, in accordance with our Constitution and international law.

I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject.