(As delivered)

Mr. President, honorable members of the Cabinet, and members of the press, good afternoon.

I am pleased to be back in Galmudug. I would like to thank President Ahmed Abdi Kariye ‘Qoor Qoor’ and his team for the warm welcome.

I travel today with Mr. Charles Mballa, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Mr. Massimo Nicoletti Altimeri, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Development Program.

Our travel together underscores the integrated efforts of the UN system in Somalia to provide support to the government and people of Galmudug.

First of all, I want to express the deep concern of the United Nations in Somalia in regard to the recent serious clan violence in some areas of Galmudug. We extend our condolences to the bereaved. I commend President Ahmed for his swift action to establish a regional ministerial mediation committee to help resolve the conflict. We urge that this, and any other reconciliation measures that may be helpful, be employed to resolve these conflicts as soon as possible.

President Ahmed made clear that the security priority in Galmudug remains to counter Al -Shabaab and successfully conclude earlier initiatives undertaken in this state to that end. I acknowledge the great challenge of rebuilding communities that were previously under the control of Al-Shabaab.

We note the precarious humanitarian situation that weighs on this state. The UN family remains engaged to support the government in helping affected communities.

The UN in Somalia is pleased with the effective partnership with Galmudug State in advancing police development through collaborative efforts in the Joint Police Programme. We look forward to building upon this productive partnership.

In our meeting today, the President and I also discussed a range of national issues of importance, including the constitutional review process and plans for elections. We acknowledge that President Ahmed Qoor Qoor has played an important role in supporting these processes. We encourage that they be consultative and inclusive to maximize prospects for successful implementation.

Finally, let me reiterate the UN's commitment to support Galmudug in its state- and peace-building priorities, and to thank the President and his government for their strong collaboration in our work together.

Thank you.