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Quarterly Advancing Peace & Reconciliation for Somali People

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Quarterly Advancing Peace & Reconciliation for Somali People Issue 3, October 2011 UNPOS Quarterly Advancing Peace & Reconciliation for Somali People Roadmap Adopted Consultative Meeting on Ending the Transition New Somali Cabinet Revealed Mobile Phones in Somaliland From the Desk of the SRSG elcome to the third edition of shu. This would have been unthinkable the UNPOS Quarterly. This just a few months earlier—Mogadishu Wis a remarkable moment for would have simply been too dangerous. Somalia. On the positive side, over the However more than one hundred par- past few months we have seen the with- ticipants, including stakeholders from drawal of the extremists group Al- Sha- the international community as well baab from most of Mogadishu and the as members of the Transitional Federal adoption of a Roadmap on ending the Government (TFG), the Transitional Fed- Transition during a landmark meeting in eral Parliament, Puntland, Galmudug Mogadishu. Tragically however the dev- and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a gathered for astating drought and famine continue, the meeting which included an opening creating enormous challenges for the hu- session in the Parliament building in the manitarian agencies. heart of the capital city. Currently hundreds of thousands of peo- The meeting adopted the Roadmap ple are facing famine conditions in So- which spells out the key tasks that the malia. Thousands have died, many more TFG must complete within the next 12 At UNPOS, we are in the process of ex- are at risk. The numbers are staggering. months including the finalization and panding our presence inside Somalia, Six districts in the country have been de- adoption of the draft Constitution; Par- with more of our staff being deployed clared famine zones. The UN continues liamentary reforms and elections; pro- to Mogadishu, Garowe, and Hargeisa to to carry out its relief efforts wherever motion of good governance and account- ensure that we interact more effectively possible and other organizations are also ability: improved security in Mogadishu and efficiently with our Somali counter- stepping up. Here, I must also acknowl- and other areas in southern Somalia and parts. There will be further follow-up edge the initiative of the African Union national reconciliation and outreach. The consultative meetings so that all those which held a pledging conference on 25 Roadmap has specific deadlines and var- willing to work to promote peace and August, raising $ 350 million. Still, much ious mechanisms to monitor its imple- reconciliation, including, in particular, more is needed. Getting these funds now mentation including high-level political civil society, will have the opportunity to is important, but money can not solve oversight. The adoption of the Roadmap participate in the dialogue. The interna- the problem alone. I call on those who marks the beginning of the implementa- tional community is firmly committed to are hindering efforts to provide help to tion phase of the peace process. Most backing the peace process, with plans for these famine-stricken areas, to lay down significantly, the adoption of the Road- resource mobilisation underway, but it is their arms, open their hearts to their suf- map demonstrates that the Somalis have understood on all sides that support and fering compatriots and allow humanitar- taken ownership of the peace process, involvement will be contingent upon ian assistance free and unfettered access agreeing on what the priority tasks are implementation of the Roadmap’s prior- to these crisis areas. and committing to accomplishing them ity tasks. within a set time frame. We must also work together, not only to I believe this is truly a golden opportu- solve this current humanitarian crisis, Much of this political progress has only nity for real progress. There is plenty of but to ensure that this does not happen been possible because of the extraor- work ahead of all of us, no doubt, but again. One of the best ways to do this is dinary work on the security front. The there has never been a better opportunity to ensure that peace and stability return TFG, supported by its allies and the cou- to capitalize on our hard won gains. If to Somalia and there is a stable, repre- rageous African Union Peacekeepers, we are united and stay the course, it is sentative Government. has been able to take control of most of my hope that we can bring about further Mogadishu. This has helped to restore stabilization of Somalia, alleviate the suf- We have taken some important steps some stability although the extremists fering of the hundreds of thousands So- towards this end. In early September a will continue to pose a threat. It should malis currently in dire need and begin high level Consultative Meeting on End- also allow ordinary Somalis to try to lead to see the sustainable change so urgently ing the Transition was held in Mogadi- a semblance of a normal life in the city. needed in Somalia. Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia October 2011 2 UNPOS Quarterly Newsletter - Issue No. 3, October 2011 In this issue Message from the SRSG 2 News 4 Consultative meeting in Mogadishu 7 Students to benefit from Government Scholarships 8 Mobile phones in Somaliland 9 UNPOS on the ground inside Somalia 10 Mama Asha - Mogadishu’s own miracle worker 12 New Somali cabinet 14 Vox Pops 16 Editors in Chief - Nick Birnback Susannah Price Writer/Editor - Esther Njoki Mwangi Layout and Design - Lucie Sewe Printing and Prepress: UNON/Publishing Services Section/Nairobi, ISO 14001:2004-certified Contact: Public Information Office, United Nations Political Office for Somalia Email: [email protected] Website: www.unpos.unmissions.org UNPOS Quarterly Newsletter - Issue No. 3, October 2011 3 News UN Security Council priority tasks of security, constitutional re- est refugee camp, Dadaab, and a further discusses Somalia form, reconciliation and good governance 250 at the Dollo Ado complex of camps in by 20 August 2012. He however noted that Ethiopia each day. Over a hundred thou- many challenges lay ahead and appealed sand have flooded into Mogadishu putting for international support in delivering the a severe strain on the already limited re- humanitarian relief and security that are sources in the capital city. vital components of stabilizing Somalia. Children have been particularly hard hit. In his address, the Special Representative In the last two months, there was a 15 per of the Chairperson of the African Union cent increase in the number of child mal- SRSG at the Security Council in New York Commission for Somalia, Boubacar Gaous- nutrition cases from 390,000 to 450,000, the UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe sou Diarra, reiterated the appreciation of majority of which are in the south. The UN Security Council held its regular the African Union to the Security Council meeting on Somalia in New York on 14 for their support and efforts in reversing Some aid is getting through – in the first September following the Report of the insecurity and instability in Somalia. He three weeks of September, humanitarian Secretary-General on Somalia issued on 30 called on the Council to impose a mari- agencies say that food aid reached about August which provided an update of the time blockade on Kismayo, a no-fly zone 1.85 million people in crisis - almost half Somali Peace Process over the past four over Somalia’s air space and to deploy a of those in need. There are continued limi- months. UN peacekeeping operation in the coun- tations to access and it appears likely food try as requested by the Peace and Security prices will continue rising. The famine The Special Representative of the Secre- Council of the African Union last year. could spread to other regions by the end tary-General, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, of the year. briefed the Council on the political situ- Member states welcomed the adoption ation in Somalia and highlighted the hu- of the Roadmap to end the transition but The UN has warned that the onset of the mantarian crisis. He noted that although expressed deep concern over the continu- rains could lead to the spread of cholera, aid was now coming in, the Security Coun- ing humanitarian crisis. Members pledged measles and malaria resulting in more cil and the international community need- to support the Transitional Federal Insti- deaths in a population which is already ed to facilitate life-saving assistance in the tutions as they strived to implement the weak from the effects of the famine. Again, famine-stricken areas and to address the Roadmap but stressed the need for ac- it is the children who suffer most. Thou- whole challenge of drought in the Horn of countability from leaders. sands of young boys and girls are getting Africa. sick and hundreds of them are dying of simple illnesses such as measles, malaria, Dr. Mahiga stressed the positive achieve- Somali children are pneumonia and diarrhea. ments made on the political and security the main victims of the fronts including the Consultative Meeting drought and famine Since July, more than 20,000 malaria cases on Ending the Transition which took place The ongoing drought and famine in Soma- have been reported, mainly in southern in Mogadishu from 4 to 6 September and lia has killed tens of thousands of people, Somalia leading to more than 50 deaths, the retreat of Al-Shabaab from much of half of them children. Despite the efforts most of them children. Pieter Desloovere, Mogadishu. He appealed to the Security of the international community, there is the World Health Organization (WHO) Council to send an unequivocal message no end in sight to the suffering. A recent spokesman for Somalia explained: “The of encouragement to the Somali leadership survey confirms that four million people death rates amongst children are rising while simultaneously putting them on no- are in crisis nationwide – double the num- alarmingly.
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