Mogadishu, 19 October 2015 – Salam aleikum,HE the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hon Speaker of the Federal Parliament,HE the Prime Minister of the FGS, Presidents of the Federal Member States and Interim Regional Administration,Members of Parliament, Ministers, Representatives of civil society and women’s organisations, Fellow Ambassadors, Ladies and Gentlemen

What a great honour it is to be invited here today. Less than one month ago, on 21 September, I was delighted to witness the formal launch of the consultative process on the electoral process for 2016.

I am even more delighted today to witness the next stage in this process, with the convening of a broad and inclusive National Consultative Forum. I am particularly delighted to see that all Interim Regional Administrations and Federal States as well as the civil society are represented here today.

The dedication, and the work that has happened in the past few short weeks is truly impressive. I congratulate and thank all concerned. Today’s Forum meeting is a great showcase for Somalia. This event is Somali-led and Somali-owned, and it is in Somalia. You are showing the world that you are on course to deliver your commitment to respect the provisional federal Constitution and hold an electoral process in 2016.

Many of you know how simple-minded I am and how I love simple metaphors. I have often described your state-building and peace-building task as a house building project, which can only be done in one sequence: first the foundations, then the walls and finally the roof. Where are we on the project? As the President and the Speaker explained, the foundations are almost complete: Somalia’s future federal member states are almost formed. Only Middle Shabelle and Hiraan remain and I urge clear progress on that process before the next UN Security Council meeting on Somalia on the 9^th of November. If the foundations are federal states, the constitution provides the walls. Important progress is underway to review the constitution. With good coordination and skill, I am confident the basic framework will be in place.

And so we come to the roof: the electoral process. Normally, international partners are always urging faster and speedier progress, but I remember many months ago I urged you to go more slowly. Before completing the walls and the foundations, you could not design the roof. But today is the great day when you can and should turn your attention to deciding what kind of roof you will have. What kind of election will be right for 2016. Only you can decide. Only Somalis know the materials available, only you know the expertise you can deploy, the local conditions: which way the wind blows, is wind, rain, or sun the major threat that you face.

You have a great responsibility. The roof you build will need to be strong, but above all the Somali people will need to trust it and to trust you the architects. To gain their trust and to get the design right, you will need to consult widely.

You begin today a broad process of consultation with Somalis across the country, to collectively discuss and, ultimately, decide what kind of electoral process will take place in 2016.

After today, regional public consultations will take place in each of the Federal member states and interim regional administrations. There will need to be a consultation with Somalis from the diaspora. Somalia will speak.

As a friend of Somalia and as a representative of the UN, I respectfully hope the next Parliament will include a major increase in the number of women and youth MPs.

This afternoon an event will be held here on women’s political participation. This will be an important occasion to highlight the role that women have to play. We need Somali women to strengthen their participation for the advancement of community stabilization, social cohesion and to consolidate peace.

The consultative process will take place in stages. Today, you begin your discussions of what approaches could be taken. You will reconvene in December to make final decisions. Today is not the day for those decisions.

As you know, there are many different ways an electoral process could be conducted. For now the most important question is to identify what the implications would be of each of these approaches, and how they could be implemented in practice. Each approach will have advantages and disadvantages. I would encourage you all to discuss these aspects.

The international community is here to observe and support your efforts. As the President of Jubbaland said, we are very happy to back off as well and leave this to be a Somali process. I wish to thank partners for their never-ending patience, financial and political support. I also express my deep appreciation to UNDP, UNSOA and UNSOM for their help with staging today’s event.

I think I would be right to say that at least three things matter to the international community:

i) Timing – respect for the constitutional deadline of 2016 is paramount

ii) Secondly, process – we hope your process will be based on a spirit of reconciliation, inclusivity and placing the national interest above all other interests. In this forum, focus only on the 2016 process.

iii) The result – in 2016 we look forward to a more representative Parliament, more inclusive, and more answerable to the Somali people. The new parliament and government should reflect the beauty of Somalia today – young and old, female and male, from all corners and communities of Somalia.

The UN Security Council has been clear about its expectations and also clear that those who obstruct or undermine progress will not be tolerated whether they are individuals or groups, in the centre or in the regions. As a friend of Somalia and as a firm supporter of all your efforts, it is only fair that I should remind you of the high standards you have set for yourselves. Your international partners will hold you to account accordingly.

I now wish you all successful deliberations. At the end of tomorrow, I hope you will leave having approved the facilitation guide. Please embrace this opportunity in a spirit of compromise and reconciliation. Please set the example to all Somalis and the world of a Somalia healing itself – of a federal Somalia coming together – stronger, more united than ever.

I wish you all the best for this Forum.

Thank you.