The Security Council heard today from the top United Nations official in Somalia that political progress is being made in the country, but that much remains to be done in a short period, including completing the electoral process for 2016 and boosting support to the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM).
“The progress is real but reversible,” Michael Keating, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), told the 15-member body during an update on the situation in the country.
“The State formation and electoral processes remain vulnerable spoilers. AMISOM needs financial and management support and cannot stay forever,” he added.
The Special Representative highlighted that this past week, Somali leaders from all Federal member states and interim regional administrations reached agreement on the electoral model to be used later this year.
“This significant achievement paves the way for practical planning,” he said, noting that “much remains to be done in a very short period.”
Mr. Keating said that the electoral process envisaged for 2016 will be significantly different from 2012, as the electoral college will be “a hundred times larger” and there will be a “genuine choice” of candidates.
Voting will take place not just in the capital, Mogadishu, but in each of the capitals or seats of government of the existing and emerging Federal states. A two-tier structure comprising federal and state-level representatives will implement the process.
In addition, Mr. Keating highlighted that 30 per cent of the seats in Parliament are being reserved for women, an “admirable commitment” that he said in practice will not be easy in a clan-based model, but could mark a “major milestone” in making women’s political empowerment and leadership a reality.
He said that once the cabinet has formalized the National Leadership Forum decision, it will go to the Federal Parliament.
“We call upon it to expedite endorsement of the model to allow timely implementation,” Mr. Keating said. “I welcome the continued commitment by Somali leaders, in line with this Council’s expectations, that there will be no extension of constitutionally mandated term limits.”
Calling the 2016 electoral model “literally unique, a once-off,” the Special Representative said it is a midway point between the election of 2012, when only 135 electors selected 275 Members of Parliament and 2020, when “all Somalis will have a say.”
“Work is now under way to that end,” he stressed.