S/PV.9349 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. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. At this meeting, the Council will hear a briefing by Ambassador Kimihiro Ishikane, Permanent Representative of Japan, in his capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992), concerning Al-Shabaab. I now give the floor to Ambassador Ishikane. Mr. Ishikane: As mandated by paragraph 11 (g) of resolution 1844 (2008), I have the honour to brief the Security Council in my capacity as Chair of the Security Council Committee pursuant to resolution 751 (1992), concerning Al-Shabaab, covering the period from 28 February to 15 June 2023. I would like to begin by recalling that the Committee held its second informal consultations of the year on 2 June, to receive a presentation by the Panel of Experts on Somalia on its midterm update to the Committee and to discuss the recommendations contained therein. The midterm update covered a number of areas, including acts by Al-Shabaab and other actors that threaten the peace, security and stability of Somalia, the efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia to degrade Al-Shabaab, the implementation of the arms embargo, including an update on weapons and ammunition management initiatives by the Federal Government of Somalia, and the implementation of the ban on charcoal. During the discussion held on 2 June, Committee members addressed questions and comments to the Panel of Experts. The midterm update contained seven recommendations that are currently being considered by the Committee. Prior to receiving the midterm update on 8 May, the Committee also received a thematic report on 5 April from the Panel of Experts that focused on the conflict in Laascaanood. Regrettably, some media outlets have released extracts, or alleged extracts, from that report, which is not helpful to the work of the Committee or the Panel. I would like to reiterate here what I stated during the informal consultations on 2 June about the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of Committee proceedings, which could, in some cases, also have an implication for the safety and security of the experts. The thematic report also contained recommendations that will be considered by the Committee in the coming days. On 26 May, the Committee included an additional individual in its sanctions list. Abdullahi Osman Mohamed Caddow, also known as “Engineer Ismail”, is an Al-Shabaab senior explosives expert responsible for the overall management of the group’s explosives operations and manufacturing. He is now subject to the targeted arms embargo, the travel ban and the assets freeze. Al-Shabaab as an entity was included in the sanctions list in 2014. I will now summarize the statistics with regard to arms embargo exemption notifications. During the reporting period, the Committee received six notifications pursuant to paragraph 15 and annex B of resolution 2662 (2022) and expressed no objection to one notification pursuant to paragraph 14 and annex A of the same resolution. The Committee also received 11 post-delivery notifications pursuant to paragraph 18 of resolution 2662 (2022). I would also like to note that, on 26 May, the Committee updated its implementation assistance notice No. 2, which contains a summary of notification requirements and the no-objection process related to the partial lifting of the arms embargo. In the context of the ban on charcoal, the Committee recently received another letter from Somalia pertaining to the disposal of the existing charcoal stockpiles. On 18 May, the Committee also updated its implementation assistance notice No. 1, which contains recommendations on procedures and notification requirements related to the inspection of vessels suspected of carrying charcoal from Somalia and/or the seizure by Member States of charcoal suspected of originating in Somalia. Both assistance notices are available on the Committee’s website. Lastly, on 23 March, the Committee agreed to take certain follow-up actions in relation to four recommendations contained in a thematic report on humanitarian matters by the Panel of Experts, submitted by the Panel under its previous mandate under resolution 2607 (2021). One recommendation, for the Council’s consideration, is to mandate the Panel of Experts to monitor and report on the unintended humanitarian consequences of the sanctions regime. Another recommendation, also for the Council’s consideration, is to request the Emergency Relief Coordinator to report on impediments to the delivery of humanitarian assistance, the provision of services and the safety of humanitarian workers, as well as on access to areas and people in need, focused specifically on Al-Shabaab-controlled areas. The Committee hopes that a humanitarian expert will be able to join the Panel soon so that the Panel will be at its full authorized strength of six experts.

I thank Ambassador Ishikane for his briefing. I now give the floor to the representative of Somalia.

As this is the first time I take the floor this month, I would like to congratulate you, Madam President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I also want to thank the Permanent Representative of Japan, as Chair of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992), concerning Al-Shabaab, for his briefing. In that regard, I would like to raise following points. The Federal Government of Somalia goes on record again to request the full lifting of the arms embargo. There appears to be a growing disconnect between the sanctions regime and the evolving situation on the ground, especially in our fight against the terrorist group Khawarij. The sanctions should target those who pose a threat to peace and security in Somalia, while supporting and enabling the Government’s robust security policies. On the case of the vessel MV Fox, we remain concerned about the reported sale of confiscated Somali charcoal onboard by the Omani authorities. The ultimate distribution of the proceeds of such a resale to the Somali Government will ensure the return of those proceeds to its original owner — the Somali people — in a manner consistent with the objectives of the relevant Security Council resolutions. We welcome recent Security Council press statement (SC/15313) on situation on Somalia regarding the conflict in Laascaanood, in the northern region of Somalia. The President has invited the SSC-Khaatumo elders in Mogadishu and has sent a delegation to Hargeisa, Somalia, to pave the way for an immediate ceasefire and the withdrawal of forces from Laascaanood. We are providing humanitarian assistance to the Laascaanood displaced population and call for scaling up the humanitarian assistance to those affected and for removing any barriers to such assistance. Many of the injured in the conflict in Laascaanood are being evacuated and are receiving medical care and adequate support in Mogadishu. The Federal Government of Somalia is undertaking national reconciliation efforts to pursue inter- and infra-clan reconciliation at the local, regional and national levels. On the proposed designations, we look forward to working with Council members on listing individuals, groups and their supporters under the Security Council committee established pursuant to resolution 751 (1992). The Council must hold accountable those who undermine peace and security in Somalia. In conclusion, Somali security forces should receive adequate military enablers and the logistical support they need to fight the terrorist groups. The long-standing Council sanctions against the Federal Government of Somalia are not conducive to carrying out the mandate of protecting the population and the territorial integrity of my country, Somalia. Nevertheless, we are committed to assuming full security responsibility from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia by 2024, and we will collaborate closely with Council members on the full lifting of the arms embargo on the Federal Government of Somalia and to facilitate peace for our country and our region.