High-Level Partnership Forum endorses a Communiqué

31 Jul 2015

High-Level Partnership Forum endorses a Communiqué

Mogadishu – The second Ministerial High-Level Partnership Forum was held in Mogadishu 29-30 July 2015, co-chaired by HE Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Somalia, Nicholas Kay.


2. 32 delegations gathered to review progress in political and security areas, as well as agree
on priorities for the remaining period of 2015 in the framework of the New Deal Somali
Compact (Somali Compact). Representatives from ISWA and Galmudug Interim
Administration participated in the Forum. We applaud this broad participation and look
forward to the participation of all key stakeholders; the absence of some today was a
disappointment.

3. We welcome and support the new Galmudug Interim Administration and salute the
positive steps taken (constitutional amendments) to resolve its border dispute with
Puntland. We urge all parties to join the reconciliation and peace building efforts. We
look forward to the successful establishment of Hiiraan and Middle Shabelle Interim
Regional Administration and to determine the status of the capital Mogadishu this year.

4. We commit to support all new and emerging administrations to build their much needed
governance institutions.

5. We welcome and commend the closer collaboration between the Federal Government
and future member states, including through the National Leaders Forum.

6. We welcome the formation of the constitutionally-mandated Commissions: the National
Independent Electoral Commission, the Boundaries and Federalism Commission, as well
as the Independent Commission for the Review and Implementation of the Constitution.
We commend the FGS’ commitment to engage in consultations with the Parliamentary
Oversight Committee and ICRIC to come up with the most credible way to approach the
revision of essential chapters that need our immediate attention. We endorse the timelines
submitted by the Constitutional Affairs Ministry and urge it to accelerate a national civic
education campaign. We commit to increase the participation and inclusion of women in
these bodies, in line with the Constitution.

7. We stress the importance of the Commissions making fast progress on their work,
welcome the support currently being provided and look forward to working together to
support their mandates and activities. We look forward to the swift establishment of the
remaining constitutional bodies, especially the Judicial Services Commission and the
Constitutional Court. We commend the tasks outlined in the Rule of Law Programme and
urge timely implementation.

8. We underline the need to ensure progress in the constitutional review process in order to
establish a permanent Constitution for a federal and united Somalia. We commend
Somali leaders and constitutional institutions both at the federal and state levels for their
determination to deliver an electoral process in 2016 in Somalia and look forward to a
detailed plan within 2015. This process shall show transparency through a broadly
consultative and inclusive process, accepted by all Somali stakeholders, at all levels. We
reaffirm the support of international partners to this process, in line with UN Security
Council 2232.

9. We call on all Somali leaders, Federal Parliament, member states, civil society, and other
stakeholders, to work together in the interests of Somalia's democratization, within the
framework of Vision 2016.

10. We endorse the agreed Guiding Principles and the three-point agreement between the
Federal Government and the Federal Parliament, to achieve a national consensus on the
electoral process. We expect detailed way ahead for the consultative process shall be
agreed upon in the near term, and no later than the 15 August 2015. We urge all Somali
stakeholders to seize the momentum and actively engage to achieve this national
consensus.

11. We renew our call to all Somalis to join into the implementation of Vision 2016. We
affirm that Somalia and its international partners will have no tolerance for those who
hinder or delay the process of peacebuilding and statebuilding.

12. In line with the commitments made at the 2014 London security event, and reiterated at
the HLPF meeting in Copenhagen in November 2014, we welcome and endorse the
costed, detailed and prioritized time tables for the implementation of the Guulwade Plan.
Both Somali and international partners commit themselves to mobilizing resources for
the implementation of the plan.

13. We recognize the need to build a professional and accountable SNA and police service,
able to address the needs of Somali people. We welcome the initial draft of the Heegan
Plan and look forward to its finalization by October 2015 and its prompt implementation
immediately thereafter.

14. We commend the ongoing integration of regional forces and recognize the support of the
AU and IGAD in this process. We urge the completion of this process across Somalia,
taking cognizance of discipline and professionalism of the Somali National Forces and
recalling the importance of ensuring its fiscal sustainability. We note the importance and
responsibility of the Somali Government to pay salaries, and the commitment of
international partners to provide stipends. We urge the consistent and timely
disbursement of funds in this regard. We recognize the urgency of the distribution of
equipment and logistics support.

15. We condemn the terrorist attacks by Al Shabaab in the strongest terms possible and
convey our regrets for the lives lost and our deepest condolences to those who lost loved
ones.

16. We commend and honour the SNA and AMISOM efforts in the fight against Al Shabaab.
We reaffirm the need to focus the joint SNA/AMISOM operations toward enemy
elimination, ultimately contributing to their defeat, while ensuring that operations are
conducted in compliance with international humanitarian law and human rights, in
particular in regards to protection of civilians. We urge the imperative of creating the
necessary conditions for stabilization of the areas recovered from Al Shabaab,
recognizing the role of different actors, including the civil society and the police, and in
line with the national stabilization strategy.

17. We urge the rapid completion of the National Security Sector architecture and mediumterm
security plan and definition of the roles and responsibilities of the national security
sector institutions to ensure coordination among the Somali security sector, and to be
presented at our next meeting.

18. We commend the progress made to containing the piracy activities in the coast of
Somalia; we underline the need to ensure that maritime security addresses other illegal
activities.

19. We welcome the plans to strengthen the financial management systems of the FGS, and
in particular of the security sector, including the development of transparent and credible
payroll systems for the security forces. We welcome the establishment of the multiagency
task force to address payments of salaries and stipends and urge the completion of
a harmonized system and timely payment of salaries and stipends by October 2015.

20. We commend the recently implemented Somali Financial Management Information
System, which captures the revenue and automates the processing of expenditure
providing financial data of the activities conducted by the FGS.

21. We commend the revised 2015 national budget initiating greater fiscal discipline as well
as the inter-ministerial budget strategy committee for the preparation of the 2016 national
budget and the implementation of revenue mobilization reform. We look forward to an
early enactment of the revised budget. We commend the progress on increased
transparency and accountability on revenue management, and look forward to the
publication of all completed annual financial statements and audit reports.

22. We welcome the reengagement of International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and the
initial steps taken towards arrears clearance and debt relief processes. We welcome the
recent article IV International Monetary Fund (IMF) consultation setting the stage for its
first Article IV consultations since 1989, and are committed to the key reform areas
raised in financial governance, resources management and the strengthening and
independence of the Central Bank of Somalia.

23. We welcome the work of the Financial Governance Committee (FGC) and the creation of
the Interim National Procurement Board (INPB). We welcome the FGS’ commitment to
ensuring that all new procurement and concession contracts are submitted to validation
through the INPB. We recognize that further work is required to strengthen these bodies.
We look forward to the finalization and adoption of the Public Finance Management,
Procurement and Audit Bills.

24. We recall the role of the New Deal Somali Compact in ensuring the coordination of
priorities and actions on security, inclusive political process and development. We further
recognize the role of the New Deal Somali Compact in providing a structured aid
planning and delivering approach for Somalia. We renew our commitment to the
implementation of policies and operational reforms to support the efficacy of the New
Deal mechanisms, in particular commitments on transparency, risk-sharing, timely and
predicable aid and strengthening the Federal Government of Somalia’s (FGS) planning,
coordination, implementation, monitoring and oversight capacity.

25. We commit in finalizing the Compact monitoring framework, consistent with the
principles of mutual accountability, through the establishment of a task force, under the
leadership of the Ministry of Planning and look forward to reviewing the overall
Compact implementation progress, based on the agreed monitoring framework, at our
next meeting and drawing on this as a basis for moving towards a renewal of our
partnership, beyond 2016.

26. We welcome the establishment of the World Bank, United Nations and the upcoming
African Development Bank Funding Windows, to implement the New Deal through
improved coordination of the Somali Development and Reconstruction Facility (SDRF)
mechanism and in the spirit of Somali ownership and leadership. We welcome the
establishment of the National fund stream of the UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund and urge
the quick identification of programmes to be funded through this funding stream.

27. We welcome the Use of Country Systems roadmap and steps taken by the FGS and
development partners towards achieving related benchmarks. We urge increased use of
country systems, as the country PFM systems improve.

28. We reaffirm our commitment to the partnership principles and emphasize the national
prerogative of setting development priorities, accelerating delivery, visibility and
overseeing implementation mechanisms and monitoring of results. We welcome the
proposed measures and way forward to increase national ownership, visibility and
accelerate delivery and commit to finalizing and agree on final measures by September
2015.

29. We welcome the progress made on using the New Deal framework and processes for
programme development and oversight, and coordination. We recognize that further
progress is required in this regard and urge for those coordination mechanisms and
programme governing bodies still outside of the SDRF to be brought within that
framework. We urge bilateral programmes to coordinate under the leadership of the
government.

30. We commend the Federal Government for accelerating activities and planning for a
sustainable economic recovery. We look forward to the progress on the National
Development Plan, fulfilling the requirements of an iPRSP, to be developed within the
framework of the New Deal. We reaffirm the importance of infrastructure for economic
recovery, job creation and service delivery. We welcome the conclusion of the national
infrastructure needs assessment, and look forward to an investment conference dedicated
to infrastructure, to be held in 2015.

31. We are encouraged by the effort made by the FGS in consultation with the Interim
Regional Administrations to initiate work on a long-term development framework
(Vision 2035) to positively shape the future socioeconomic transformation of Somalia.
We acknowledge that this long term framework must be linked to strategies such as the
African Union (AU) Agenda 2063, and reflect the global Sustainable Development
Goals.

32. We commend the work done by the FGS and partners, including civil society, in fostering
stabilization in the areas recovered from Al Shabaab. We recognize the importance
stronger harmonization and coordination of the different stabilization funds and
programmes, in order to properly support the building of local administrations and
deliver basic services and sustainably expanding economic opportunities, employment
and better livelihood. We commit to this enhanced coordination and harmonization
under the leadership of the FGS and through the coordination mechanisms set up under
the Compact.

33. We recognize the continuing humanitarian crisis, including in recently liberated areas and
its impact on the Somali people and commend the principle humanitarian action in
response. At the same time, we commit to the formulation of a more long-term strategic
approach that addresses the underlying causes of crisis, by supporting multi-year
planning for sustainable solutions and resilience gains, led by the Ministry of Planning
and bringing together existing and planned resilience and recovery activities. We
recognize the need to address the longstanding issue of internal displacements and
provision of durable solutions under government leadership, at federal, regional and local
levels.

34. We express grave concern over the growing refugee and Somali returnees influx from
Yemen and urge the immediate deployment of financial and physical support to provide
shelter, supplies and income support to those refugees, in addition to the support
currently being provided in reception centres. We urge an extension of this support to
other areas where people are arriving.

35. We reaffirm the important role of women in peace and statebuilding and commit to
increase their participation in the political, social and economic spheres.

36. We recognize that the protection and promotion of human rights is crucial for sustainable
peace and state building in Somalia, and welcome the Federal Government’s
commitments on human rights, including through participation in the ongoing Universal
Periodic Review process. While we recognize that broad consultation is critical for
enactment of a solid law establishing the Independent Human Rights Commission, we
stress the importance of expediting the passage of the legislation and subsequently
establish the Commission. We call on partners to support processes aimed at ensuring
that human rights is anchored in the implementation of all PSG priorities, in particular
through the Human Rights Roadmap and the existing Action Plans on Human Rights.

37. In conclusion, we thank all participants for their constructive engagement and commit to
implementing the measures and actions agreed upon in the remaining period of 2015 and
review the overall progress of this year of implementation of the Compact at our next
Ministerial-level meeting the first months of 2016.