UN Envoy Lauds Somalia’s Progress in Peace Building and Security

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: United Nations Security Council Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia James Swan has praised the efforts of Somali and African Union forces in stabilizing the country.

In a detailed briefing to the United Nations Security Council, Swan also lauded Somalia’s recent election to the Security Council for 2025-2026 saying it was a “testament to the nation’s progress from decades of conflict towards recovery.”

Swan, who was joined by Ambassador Souef Mohamed El-Amine, Special Representative of the African Union also noted the Federal Government of Somalia’s commitment to national priorities, including constitutional reforms and electoral framework enhancements.

He pointed out that between February and May, the Federal Parliament approved amendments to the 2012 Provisional Constitution, reinforcing the country’s shift towards a one-person, one-vote electoral model.

On the Ethiopia-“Somaliland” Memorandum of Understanding, Swan called for a peaceful resolution but underscored the need to respect Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Further, the acting special representative commended the Federal Government’s multi-faceted approach to combating Al-Shabaab and its progress in building the capacity of the Somali National Army to further enable it to secure the country from the security threats posed by the Al-Shabaab militant group.

Swan also noted that climatic events, insecurity, and disease outbreaks has worsened the humanitarian situation across the country saying over 3.8 million people have been displaced in Somalia.

He called for increased international support to address these needs and called for an investment in community resilience and infrastructure to combat climate change, which is aggravating social tensions and conflicts, particularly in rural areas dependent on natural resources.