UN Commends Progress Made in Holding Elections in Somalia

The United Nations affirmed that big progress to hold national elections in Somalia was achieved after a prolonged waiting.

James Swan, the UN envoy to Somalia, revealed to the UN Security Council, that big progress was achieved to implement the 27 June agreement signed between the federal government in Mogadishu and leaders of the Somali States.

Swan pointed out that  Muhammad Husain Robley Somalia's  Prime Minister showed strong leadership and imitative to push the electoral process ahead.

The Somali Premier held regular meetings with the local leaders on the main issues.

At the same time, the international envoy stressed that more efforts must be done in order to avoid the ongoing threats of Al- Shabaab movement (the local branch of the Al Qaeda terrorist organization).

It is worth noting that Somalia witnessed a political crisis last February after failing to conduct elections then as the political powers couldn't consent on mechanisms to run the elections.

Also, negotiations between the federal government and the local leaders collapsed last April.

Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullah Mohamed asked lawmakers in April to extend his tenure for two years that led to social turmoil and clashes in Mogadishu so the president was enforced to retreat.

He tasked the Premier to lead preparations for conducting indirect elections this year according to an agreement signed on September 17, 2020.

Swan said that 5.9 million Somalis, or more than a third of the population, need humanitarian aids this year.

He had briefed the UN Security Council that the Al-Shabaab Movement, a local branch of Al-Qaeda terrorist organization, poses a dangerous threat as it shows an ability to plan and carry out complicated attacks host of targets in all parts of the country.

Swan pointed out that Somalia is one of the most affected by climate change, warning that drought has reduced food supplies to 80% of the Somalis.

Heavy rain causes seasonal floods in some parts of the country. Irregular climate shocks led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of the population and increase the loss of food security.

Swan noticed that the international donors funded only 19% of the plan of humanitarian response in Somalia this year.

He entreated members of the UN Security Council to offer more contributions to help the Somalis, revealing that Somalia has received the first batch of the Corona vaccines via the COVAX mechanism to distribute the vaccines in a just balanced manner.

Until now the Somali authorities have handed over 42% of doses of the shipment received by the Somali authorities that estimated at 300 thousand doses.

On his part, Ambassador  Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira, special representative of President of the European Commission for Somalia and Head of the delegation of the African Union stressed the importance of rebuilding, empowering, and unity of the Somali security forces which stay as a safeguard to save accomplishments in Somalia.

Mohamed Abdel Razzaq, Minister of  Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, affirmed that his country needs political transient based on free transparent general elections with credibility, indicating that is a challenge and chance so the Somalis, government, and partners should benefit from ensuring sustainable development in the country.