Press statement of the peacebuilding commission on peacebuilding in Somalia

4 Dec 2020

Press statement of the peacebuilding commission on peacebuilding in Somalia

Following the meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission, convened by its Chair, H.E. Mr. Bob Rae on 2 December 2020 on peacebuilding in Somalia with briefings by H.E. Mr. Mohamed Hussein Roble, Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Somalia, H.E. Ms. Hanifa Mohamed Ibrahim, Minister of Women and Human Rights Development of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Mr. James Christopher Swan, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Ms. Rowda A. Olad, mental health and peacebuilding practitioner and Mr. Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, the Commission issued the following statement: 

The Commission welcomed Somalia’s commitment to durable peace and reconciliation, as highlighted in the country’s ninth National Development Plan, its National Reconciliation Framework and the Somali Women’s Charter. The Commission commended Somalia for the use of dialogue and consensus-building to navigate obstacles on its peacebuilding and state-building trajectories, as well as Somalia’s progress in anchoring the National Reconciliation Framework and the Somali Women’s Charter among Somali stakeholders, providing an opportunity to shift to a long-term perspective on Somalia’s peacebuilding priorities.  

The Commission congratulated Somalia on the progress made on debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC) and underscored the importance of further strengthening cooperation with the International Financial Institutions in the areas of peacebuilding and state-building which are two parallel processes the country is undergoing. The Commission especially highlighted the constructive and innovative UN-World Bank partnership in Somalia, including in the area of public financial management with increased transparency and sustainability of public finances, which would be particularly crucial to allow for a smooth transition in the security sector and rebuilding trust in public institutions. 

The Commission welcomed the support provided by the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) to Somalia’s peacebuilding priorities, including reconciliation, justice and rule of law, security and governance, and human rights. The Commission encouraged partners to consider providing additional resources to ensure sustainability of collective and inclusive peacebuilding efforts, and noted the contribution of civil society in this regard.  

The Commission encouraged Somalia to pursue efforts aimed at consolidating gains in gender equality and women empowerment, building on the different thematic area commitments anchored in the holistic and nationally owned Somali Women’s Charter. The Commission stressed the importance of promoting meaningful participation of women and youth in peacebuilding and sustaining peace and realizing their livelihood opportunities, including inclusion of women and youth in governance and conflict prevention processes. The mental toll on the population after decades of conflict and grave humanitarian consequences arising from it requires special attention. 

The Commission encouraged continued openness towards broad and inclusive dialogue as a means for consensus building on issues of national interest, including the ongoing efforts to develop a detailed transition plan for the Somali security sector with full respect for human rights. 

The Commission welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment as expressed by Prime Minister Roble to inclusive reconciliation and the peacebuilding process by fostering coordination with regional and international peacebuilding mechanisms through the newly established National Peacebuilding Coordination Unit at the Office of the Prime Minister. 

The Commission expressed its readiness to engage with Somalia to explore opportunities to support the implementation of the National Reconciliation Framework. The Commission committed to sustain its attention on efforts aimed at addressing on-going peacebuilding challenges in Somalia and mobilizing international support for the country’s peacebuilding priorities, noting the importance of ensuring the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women in peacebuilding.