Mogadishu – The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia (SRSG), Nicholas Kay, welcomed firm commitments made by Somalia’s Federal and regional leaders to meet key Vision 2016 deadlines to complete Somalia’s federal state formation process, and review the provisional constitution without any extension of the terms of the Federal President and Parliament in September 2016, as set out in the Provisional Federal Constitution.

During the last ten days SRSG Kay has met with Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and the Speaker of the Federal Parliament, Mohamed Osman Jawari, to discuss peace- and state-building progress across the country. He also travelled to Garowe, Kismayo and Baidoa and met with the leaders of Puntland, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas, the Interim Jubba Administration (IJA), Sheikh Ahmad Islam Madobe, and the Interim South West Administration (ISWA), Sheikh Sharif Hassan Adan.

Recalling his mandate from the UN Security Council to provide the good offices of the United Nations and strategic policy advice to assist Somalia’s peace-building and state-building efforts, SRSG Kay noted, “I am encouraged by the firm commitments I have heard from the President, Prime Minister, Speaker and the leaders of Puntland, the IJA and the ISWA to delivering Somalia’s Vision 2016 plan without any extension of the term of the Parliament or President in September 2016. Across the country there is a determination to respect this deadline, but also concern that time is now short."

“There is a strong consensus that in the period between now and the beginning of Ramadan, several important milestones need to be achieved, for example, the appointment of the commissioners of the National Independent Electoral Commission and the Boundaries and Federation Commission and the operationalisation of the Commissions; establishment of inclusive regional assemblies for the IJA and ISWA; formation of interim administrations in the Central Regions and in Middle Shabelle and Hiiraan; agreement between the Executive and Parliament on a legislative timetable to include, as priorities, Bills on Political Parties, Citizenship, the Electoral Law and the Constitutional Court; as well as achieving significant progress in accordance with the recent Memorandum of Understanding on the constitutional review process.”

“The UN and international partners will continue to provide support for Somalia’s institutions and people as they undertake this ambitious state-building agenda that they have set themselves. In the coming months, a visiting United Nations technical mission will assist by reviewing progress towards elections. A High-Level Partnership Forum in June in Mogadishu will bring together Somalia’s partners to undertake a careful consideration of the political and security progress under the New Deal Somali Compact, as was agreed in Copenhagen in November 2014.

“Later in 2015, all stakeholders across the country - the Federal Government, Parliament, the Interim Regional Administrations, civil society, and the international community - will need to consider exactly how best to achieve an inclusive and representative process in 2016. Now is not the time for that discussion as we do not know how much political and security progress Somalia will have achieved. When the time comes, it will be important there is broad consultation and agreement. For now, the agreed priority remains the collective effort to complete state formation, review the federal constitution and carry out the essential preparatory work for democratisation.”

“I welcome the meeting of leaders of the Federal Government and Parliament, the IRAs and Puntland in Garowe in early April. I hope the leaders will be able to give broad endorsement to a clear political calendar,” said SRSG Kay.

“I commend warmly the Federal Government’s commitment to accelerate much needed progress until the end of their mandate in September 2016 and I welcome the engagement of Somalia’s emerging federal member states in supporting this process. I salute the courage of members of the Federal Parliament and urge MPs to re-double their efforts in the coming session to pass essential laws. The United Nations is committed to working with the Somali people to support peace, stability and progress across the country,” he added.

Ends.