5-6 FEBRUARY 2012, DJIBOUTI
His Excellency, Mohamoud Ali Youssouf, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Djibouti,
His Excellency, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia,
His Excellency, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Hassan, Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia,
His Excellency, Abdirahman Mohamud Farole, President of the Puntland State of Somalia,
His Excellency, Mohamed Ahmed Alin, President of the Gal-mudug State of Somalia,
His Excellency, President Jerry John Rawlings, Special Envoy of the African Union to Somalia,
His Excellency, Ambassador Augustine Mahiga, Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations,
His Excellency, Honourable Kipruto arap Kirwa, IGAD Facilitator for Somalia Peace and National Reconciliation,
The Representative of Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a,
Representatives of the AMISOM Troop Contributing Countries,
Distinguished Co-Chairs of the ICG,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
- It is a great pleasure for me to address the opening session of the 21st Meeting of the International Contact Group on Somalia, convened here in this very beautiful country of Djibouti. I am moved by the hospitality accorded us by the Government and people of Djibouti since our arrival here.
- I take this opportunity, on behalf of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, His Excellency Jean Ping, to express our deepest appreciation to His Excellency President Ismail Omar Guelleh and his government for accepting to host another very important forum on Somalia. This is a further demonstration of Djibouti’s commitment to the attainment of peace and stability in its neighboring country of Somalia and the region as a whole.
- You will recall that Djibouti has hosted a number of crucial peace and reconciliation meetings (Arta 2000) of Somali stakeholders. These include the groundbreaking peace conference of 2008 that culminated in the signing of the landmark Djibouti Agreement of August 2008, which set up the present Transitional Federal Government of Somalia. Since then, we have continued to witness the firm support of Djibouti in the implementation of the peace process. The visit of President Guelleh to Mogadishu in August 2011 was yet another important milestone, and Djibouti has further demonstrated its commitment by providing strong support to the TFG and AMISOM.
- In this context, I want to reiterate the AU’s appreciation of the decision by Djibouti to deploy a battalion of troops to join AMISOM in Somalia. As you are probably aware, the first batch of 100 Djiboutian soldiers was successfully deployed to Mogadishu in December 2011, thereby complementing the Ugandan and Burundi contingents that have selflessly carried the burden of the AMISOM military operations since 2007. It is our expectation that the Djiboutian deployment will be completed very soon, and will contribute to the expansion of AMISOM operations into south-central Somalia.
- I also want to commend the SRSG and his team at UNPOS for investing their time and resources in organizing this meeting. And, most importantly, I would like to thank Prime Minister Abdiweli, President Farole, President Ali, other Somali stakeholders, and members of the international community for attending this very important gathering on Somalia.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, - This 21st ICG meeting has come at a very critical juncture in the Somalia peace process. At no other time in the history of this conflict have we come so close to finding a resolution, although many challenges abound. In the two previous sessions of the ICG held in Copenhagen and Kampala, the international community assisted the Somali leaders and other stakeholders towards reaching consensus on the core tasks of the political transition. This support resulted in the signing of the Kampala Accord, the Roadmap on Ending the Transition, and the Garowe Principles – all of which are instruments developed for the achievement of the transitional tasks by August this year.
- It should be noted that commendable progress has since been made by the Somali stakeholders in the implementation of the key transitional tasks, including the adoption of the National Security and Stabilization Plan by the TFG cabinet and efforts towards finalization of the draft Constitution. It is however very unfortunate that this political progress is being undermined by the ongoing crisis in the Transitional Federal Parliament, which also threatens to reverse the remarkable military achievements of TFG, AMISOM and regional forces.
- On this note, I want to reiterate the AU’s repeated call for the Somali political leadership to speedily resolve the parliamentary crisis and to demonstrate more commitment to the implementation of their transitional mandate.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, - I cannot overstate the importance of sustaining the tremendous military gains that we have achieved in recent months in Mogadishu as well as other regions of south central Somalia. With 99 percent of Mogadishu now under the effective control of TFG and AMISOM forces, all efforts must now be focused on consolidating the capital and expanding military operations and stabilization initiatives into the regions. That is why the AU Peace and Security Council, on 5 January 2012, adopted the Strategic Concept for future AMISOM Operations which will guide our consolidation, expansion and stabilization operations.
- The AU fully welcomes the Kenyan and the Ethiopian military initiatives in the southern-central regions, respectively, in support of TFG forces and allied militias fighting to defeat Al Shabaab extremists. The planned deployment of Djiboutian troops to the South Central Somalia will mark a significant step in AMISOM expansion phase.
- Having adopted the Strategic Concept for AMISOM, it is our hope that the United Nations, and the rest of the international community, will now provide the support needed for the implementation of the Concept, particularly the provision of force enablers and multipliers, logistical support, funding for reimbursement of COEs, self‐sustenance of troops, and other critical requirements.
- On its part, the AU Commission is initiating the process of elaboration and early finalization of a revised AMISOM Concept of Operations (CONOPs). This will adequately address issues such as command and control, liaison and coordination, and troops-to-task sector.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, - I must again stress the importance of linking the military operations with a strong political strategy, to ensure coherence in our efforts of helping Somalia attain lasting peace. In this respect, I am pleased to see that the Garowe Principles provides for a period of four years to put in place a political dispensation grounded in a Constitution framework.
- It is my fervent hope that this period would be used to strengthen the TFG military and police, and provide support to the TFG allied forces active in the regions. In the meantime, though, it is essential to enhance coordination between AMISOM and TFG forces for more effective operations and sustainable military achievements.
- This meeting, as well as the upcoming London Conference on Somalia, gives an opportunity for the partners of Somalia to identify practical ways of strengthening our engagement with Somalia, in particular addressing the urgent need to enhance the capacity of the Somali security institutions and supporting the political outreach and stabilization efforts of the TFG.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, - As we deliberate on the political and security situation in Somalia over the next two days, we must not lose sight of the urgent need to address the dire humanitarian situation that prevails in the country. Despite the challenges posed by insecurity, the international community must invest a lot more resources for humanitarian operations to meet the needs of millions of Somalis desperate for assistance. In this connection, I would like to urge the humanitarian community to collaborate more closely with the TFG and countries of the region to develop innovative strategies to address the humanitarian emergency.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, - I will conclude my statement by reiterating that the Somalia conflict has arrived at a crucial juncture where the prospects of peace are very bright. It is incumbent upon us in the international community to seize this opportunity and step up our support to the Somali institutions.
- I am confident that this 21st ICG meeting will have come up with great recommendations to accelerate the peace process.
I thank you.