SRSG KAY ENCOURAGED BY FIRM COMMITMENT TO SOMALIA’S VISION 2016 TIMETABLE

MOGADISHU, 18 MARCH 2015 – The Special Representative of the UN
Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG) Nicholas Kay, welcomed firm
commitments made by Somalia’s Federal and regional leaders to meet key
Vision 2016 deadlines to complete Somalia’s federal state formation
process, and review the provisional constitution without any extension
of the terms of the Federal President and Parliament in September 2016,
as set out in the provisional federal Constitution.

During the last ten days SRSG Kay has met with Somalia’s President
Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and
the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, Mohamed Osman Jawari, to discuss
peace and state-building progress across the country. He also travelled
to Garowe, Kismayo and Baidoa and met with the leaders of Puntland,
Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas, the Interim Juba Administration (IJA), Sheikh
Ahmad Islam ‘Madobe’, and the Interim South West Administration
(ISWA) Sheikh Sharif Hassan Adan.

Recalling his mandate from the Security Council to provide the good
offices of the United Nations and strategic policy advice to assist
Somalia’s peace-building and state-building efforts, SRSG Kay noted,
“I am encouraged by the firm commitments I have heard from the
President, Prime Minister, Speaker and the leaders of Puntland, the IJA
and the ISWA to delivering Somalia’s Vision 2016 plan without any
extension of the term of the Parliament or President in September 2016.
Across the country there is a determination to respect this deadline,
but also concern that time is now short.”

“There is a strong consensus that in the period between now and the
beginning of Ramadan several important milestones need to be achieved,
for example, the appointment of the commissioners of the National
Independent Electoral Commission and Boundaries and Federation
Commission and the operationalisation of the Commissions; establishment
of inclusive regional assemblies for the IJA and ISWA; formation of
interim administrations in the Central Regions and in Middle Shabelle
and Hiraan; agreement between the executive and parliament on a
legislative timetable to include, as priorities, Bills on Political
Parties, Citizenship, the Electoral Law and the Constitutional Court; as
well as achieving significant progress in accordance with the recent
Memorandum of Understanding on the constitutional review process.”

“The UN and international partners will continue to provide support
for Somalia’s institutions and people as they undertake this ambitious
state-building agenda that they have set themselves. In the coming
months, a visiting United Nations technical mission will assist by
reviewing progress towards elections. A High-Level Partnership Forum in
June in Mogadishu will bring together Somalia’s partners to undertake
a careful consideration of the political and security progress under the
New Deal Somali Compact, as was agreed in Copenhagen in November 2014.

“Later in 2015, all stakeholders across the country – the FGS,
Parliament, the Interim Regional Administrations, civil society, and the
International Community – will need to consider exactly how best to
achieve an inclusive and representative process in 2016. Now is not the
time for that discussion as we do not know how much political and
security progress Somalia will have achieved. When the time comes, it
will be important there is broad consultation and agreement. For now the
agreed priority remains the collective effort to complete state
formation, review the federal constitution and carry out the essential
preparatory work for democratisation.”

“I welcome the meeting of leaders of the Federal Government and
Parliament, the IRAs and Puntland in Garowe in early April. I hope the
leaders will be able to give broad endorsement to a clear political
calendar,” said SRSG Kay.

“I commend warmly the Federal Government’s commitment to accelerate
much needed progress until the end of their mandate in September 2016
and I welcome the engagement of Somalia’s emerging federal member
states in supporting this process. I salute the courage of members of
the Federal Parliament and urge MPs to re-double their efforts in the
coming session to pass essential laws. The United Nations is committed
to working with the Somali people to support peace, stability and
progress across the country,” he added.

End