I thank SRSG Swan, SRCC Madeira, and Ms. Batulo Sheikh Ahamed Gabale for their insightful briefings.
President,
While the electoral process faces new delays, we welcome the continued, constructive, atmosphere between Somali leaders under the leadership of Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble. Regular, constructive, and inclusive dialogue in the National Consultative Council format is key to progress in implementing the electoral model.
Timely, credible, and inclusive elections are of utmost importance to bringing Somalia back to the promising "reform-track" of the recent past, and ensuring democratic development. The economy and security of the Somali people have for too long suffered from the political impasse. In finding solutions to the outstanding electoral issues, we encourage Somali leaders to make full use of the good offices of the UN, and the AU.
Somalia cannot afford an electoral process that excludes half of the population. We are therefore deeply concerned that Somali leaders are yet to define a clear mechanism for implementing the 30% quota for the election of women. The appointment of the Advocacy Committee is a positive step, and we particularly welcome the presence of Ms. Batulo Sheikh Ahamed Gabale in today's meeting, but Somali Women deserve concrete results. And thus far, the Upper House elections are not delivering.
The call for a 30% quota for women is not imposed from the outside. The rationale for inclusion of women in political processes couldn't be stated more clearly than in the Somali Women’s Charter:
"We, the Somali women, resolve to realize equal participation in all political and peacebuilding processes, and accountability from the highest officials of the State.
Without women’s political participation there can be no sustained peace and development."
President,
Norway condemns the worrying high levels of the six grave violations against children. While Al Shabaab remains the main perpetrator, we also note that a significant number of violations continues to be attributed to Government security forces - including the Somali Police Force.
We urge all parties to immediately end, and prevent, all violations against children, and comply with international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
President,
The humanitarian situation in Somalia also remains dire. The rapid shifts from severe droughts to flooding is a reminder that Somalia is increasingly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. It is therefore critical to support the FGS to strengthen its capacity to integrate responses to climate-related security risk across government.
As we are approaching the renewal of UNSOMs mandate, we believe this Council should consider the need for UNSOM to also improve its climate-related security risks analysis and reporting, including on how issues of climate security are affecting its mandate.
President,
We note the report of the independent assessment team on the AU's engagement in, and with, Somalia post 2021; as well as the discussion in the AU Peace and Security Council on the 30th of July. But, considering the timelines in Security Council resolution 2568 for transferring responsibility for security to Somali authorities and for the reconfiguration of AMISOM, we strongly encourage also a constructive dialogue on the way forward between the AU, UN, the Somali Government, and other key actors. The success or failure of a future, reconfigured AMISOM depends on the timeliness, and quality of such a collective discussion.