Mogadishu – The joint UN and AMISOM working group on the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP) held its inaugural meeting in Mogadishu on 15 February, discussing a range of ways to build national institutions with a strong human rights foundation in Somalia.

On 13 July 2011, the UN Secretary-General endorsed the HRDDP on UN support to non-UN security forces. This policy ensures that the UN lives up to its own normative standards by guaranteeing that its support to non-UN security forces around the world is consistent with the organization’s Charter and its obligations under international law to respect, promote and encourage respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law and Refugee Law.

Co-chaired by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (SRCC), Ambassador Mahamat Saleh Annadif, and Deputy Special Representative for the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Fatiha Serour, the joint working group on the HRDDP is pursuant to UN Security Council Resolution 2124, which requires UNSOM, the UN Support office for AMISOM (UNSOA) and AMISOM to collaborate in the implementation of the HRDDP.

In Somalia, the policy applies to support extended to both the Somali National Security Forces and AMISOM by UN offices and agencies. Key measures of the HRDDP include communication of the policy to relevant authorities, the development of procedures for intervention in the event of human rights violations by non-UN security forces, risk assessment and monitoring.

The working group’s co-chairs highlighted that this new initiative is in line with efforts by UNSOM and AMISOM to strengthen their collaboration in their respective efforts to support the Federal Government in stabilizing Somalia.

“Human Rights issues are a major concern for us. We know that there are obligations with all UN resolutions, and we are doing all we can to respect this,” Ambassador Annadif said at the meeting. “There is a need to put into place implementation mechanisms. AMISOM has the will to do it, and with the support and collaboration of UN and other partners, we will meet the
challenges.”

“There is a need for mechanisms to implement and monitor our commitments; we need a regular, closed, focused working relationship that leads to results,” said DSRSG Serour. “This will be the beginning of close and productive relationship.”