YouSaid · the spoken record

Ould-Abdallah

lines on the record: 125
first: 2005-02-25
most recent: 2010-05-12
sittings or episodes: 11
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Somalis should discuss peace among themselves in their own country. Those who fail to join the peace process will miss an opportunity to contribute to rebuilding the country. My Office stands ready to assist and help the continued discussion among Somalis. The time has come to focus on the needs and interests of ordinary citizens in Somalia, who are denied food to alleviate their hunger and protection against fear. Their suffering should strike at the heart of all Somali patriots and be the main international concern. Their country has been taken hostage by a small group interested only in its own immediate profit. Insecurity is becoming a source of revenue and power. The Somali people have endured too much. They have seen their loved ones killed and maimed.”
2009-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6173 (2009) · source
“However, more needs to be done, especially in the area of coordination and organization. At the same time, the political process is moving forward. The Djibouti 09-43003 agreement, signed in August last year, remains open to those who want to address the Somali situation through peaceful means. Recently, an important agreement was signed between the Government and the well-respected religious group Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama'a, which has already shown results. There has also been the inclusion of some elements from an opposition group, and one of its leaders has become a deputy minister. That open-door policy should be continued. My understanding is that the Government would welcome members of those currently in the opposition, be they leaders or simply members of the rank and file of their groups.”
2009-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6173 (2009) · source
“In that context, I would like to recognize once again the extraordinary help provided by members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the League of Arab States, the African Union, the European Union and Commission, the Contact Group, including the United States, Norway and many others, especially the subregional organization the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). They have mobilized quickly to provide critical assistance on the ground, as pledged during the Brussels conference in April, which was attended by the Secretary-General. To facilitate this process, the Somali Government has employed the services of an international accounting firm to ensure transparency. The Government has made significant progress in training, equipping and paying its security forces.”
2009-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6173 (2009) · source
“Mr. Ould Abdallah: I am grateful for this opportunity to brief the Council. While the situation remains fragile, there have been positive developments in Somalia. As I have told the Council previously, a new paradigm is being implemented. Despite multiple constraints, the Government is resisting and repelling multiple attempts to overthrow it and seize power illegally by force. It is also overcoming two decades of scepticism over Somalia. I believe that, today, we are at a turning point. It is clear that the population and its traditional leaders reject violence and those behind it. Therefore, the support of the international community is even more crucial at this time.”
2009-07-29 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6173 (2009) · source
“I am a civil servant, but, like members of the Council, I have seen the report with a call by a Government which is normally friendly - the two countries are members of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development and they have no common border - inviting the destabilization of this country. That needed to be noted, and I am grateful to the United States delegation for having spoken of it. Many members of the Council have told me the same thing, and I hope that it will be raised next time. I do not want it to be made into an issue, but it has to be raised.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“I do not like to compare today's world hot spots with Somalia, but if we look at the statistics of the number of deaths, which are terrible, Somalia is in a difficult position, but the situation is not as bad as it might be. It is permanent blackmail that I am talking about, and we should free ourselves from that permanent blackmail. We are talking about people, and they need peace. They are ready for peace. We will look to the April report to provide accurate figures. We will be in the field; my deputy was in Mogadishu last week. Before concluding, I would like to thank the delegation of the United States of America for 09-27495 mentioning the negative role of Eritrea. Somalia has no border with Eritrea.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“Mr. Ould Abdallah: I will be brief. I wish first to offer a point of information. It is my understanding that the conference for the mobilization of resources for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and Somali security forces, about which we have been talking, will be held on 22 April in Brussels, subject to confirmation with all members. That is because of logistical and a number of other considerations. Secondly, I thank the Council for its renewed interest and concern with respect to the tragedy of Somalia, especially its rejection of permanent blackmail by a number of Somalis who know how eager we in New York are to look at the headlines and websites: one grenade makes a huge difference; one mortar shell makes a huge difference.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“Therefore, the first priority in Somalia is to liberate the hijacked Somali peace agenda, held hostage for so long. I would argue that with the Djibouti Agreement, the country has passed the crossroads. It is on a one- way street going forward. The price of regression to the conflict is too high for Somalia, the region and, indeed, the international community.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“By drawing attention to the plight of Somalis, the international naval presence is a show of solidarity with the country and the whole region. Indeed, to fight piracy is also to fight many criminal activities - illegal fishing, waste dumping and trafficking in humans and drugs. At the same time, there is the need to consolidate cooperative work to help trace the pirates' financial resources. At the United Nations Political Office for Somalia, we plan to do that with our colleagues at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Finally, while Somalia's sovereignty and national interests are to be respected, acts of piracy by private individuals or groups can never be justified. In conclusion, given the long-standing scepticism and diehard habits, the struggle for peace will be long.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“I believe that others should qualify when they demonstrate a sincere desire to help the return of peace and stability to their country of origin by severing all links with radical groups. Finally, the Djibouti Agreement makes provision for justice and reconciliation. Impunity perpetuates violence. The country should address crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by Somalis against Somalis. A national truth and reconciliation commission could be established, and the Security Council may also consider the problem through a commission of inquiry. Regarding piracy, it is above all a profitable business. It is linked to the failure of the State on land and is its extension offshore. It has to be addressed vigorously to help the security of maritime trade routes.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“The integrated planning process to develop the Secretary-General's recommendations is ongoing. Thirdly, after two decades of armed confrontation, humanitarian assistance is needed more than ever before. While the needs are enormous, Somalia is not to be seen as a purely humanitarian case. A 20-year-Iong emergency is a contradiction in terms. More has to be done, especially at the political and diplomatic levels, to find a lasting solution. While humanitarian assistance should be provided in close cooperation and consultation with the legitimate Government, it should not and cannot be used as a political tool by any party, be it the Government, the opposition or others. Fourthly, last year a Somali was taken off the list of the United Nations Al-Qaida and Taliban Sanctions Committee.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“The new Government should also be informed about Somalia's assets held in a number of overseas banks or in accounts managed by international organizations. Secondly, pending the mobilization of credible funding for AMISOM, the courageous and dedicated African troops and their countries of origin deserve immediate diplomatic recognition and financial support. In that context, I hope that the conference for resource mobilization for AMISOM. and the Somali forces, organized in cooperation with the African 3 Union, the League of Arab States, the European Union and the United Nations within the framework of resolution 1863 (2009), will be successful. The Secretary-General is due to submit a report for a United Nations peacekeeping operation in advance of a Council decision on the issue in June.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“We should now help Somalis reclaim the future of their country. The new Administration has a convincing legitimacy and is recognized internationally by IGAD, the African Union, the European Union, the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the United Nations. There is, therefore, an obligation to respect and cooperate with those new authorities and to do no harm to their institutions and their credibility. They should be consulted on, informed about and associated with all political, economic and humanitarian actions concerning their country. That new approach should put an end to past misunderstandings between some members of the international community and Somalia's central Government.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“The President, the Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet and parliament are all back in Mogadishu, a welcome departure from past practices of functioning from outside the capital. Describing Somalia, The Economist stated recently that there is a glimmer of hope, and indeed there is a chance for a fresh start. That new seriousness of purpose invites the international community to back the progress being made through practical actions. Those include, first, immediate support for the new authorities; secondly, immediate diplomatic and financial assistance to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM); thirdly, transparent and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance; fourthly, the matter of individuals on the Security Council sanctions Iist; fifthly, impunity; and, finally, piracy off the Somali coast.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“In that connection, I wish to recognize with thanks the support that I have received from the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the African Union, the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the European Union, the European Commission, Norway, the United States, Djibouti and Kenya, to mention only a few, as well as the permanent members of the Security Council, who have been very supportive. The members of the International Contact 09-27495 Group on Somalia, which I chair, have demonstrated a strong engagement in favour of stability in Somalia. Today, we need a 100-day assistance programme. The State legitimacy is established and the legality of the new institutions is recognized regionally, internationally and, indeed, by the vast majority of Somalis.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“Creating insecurity inside the country for 20 years and, now, exposing young members of the diaspora to terrorist activities and suspicion in their new homelands is unpatriotic. During my first statement before the Council, on 17 December 2007 (see S/PV.5805), I presented three possible courses of action for the United Nations to follow in Somalia. They were: a business-as-usual policy; total withdrawal from the country; and combined, simultaneous, political, security and development undertakings. The Djibouti agreement is the result of the last approach.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“Simultaneous assistance to governance, security and development should be delivered. While large resources are available for Somalia, a major problem is their effective and timely disbursement. That issue should be addressed urgently. However, it should not be up to the international community alone to support Somalia. The country has the longest coastline in Africa - 2,300 kilometres - with rich fish resources and promising hydrocarbon deposits. More important, it has an extraordinarily entrepreneurial business community, and its diaspora sends more than $1 billion home each year. Those advantages should be mobilized for peace, reconstruction and development - not for destruction.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“At the same time, without basic investment in development - providing employment for 09-27495 youth and women and rehabilitating neighbourhoods - criminality will continue to thrive and security will not improve. A strategy with achievable goals should help stabilize the country. For the next 100 days, these goals should be limited to employment, renovation of infrastructure and humanitarian assistance. Many young people are always available for violent confrontation. A large number of those extremists, who carry out murder under different banners, are generally far more interested in their share of revenues than in ideology. There are plenty of illegitimate ways to make small and large profits in and from Somalia. How can we convince the profit-seekers and spoilers that peace will be more profitable?”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“Finally, it has been a threat to the international community, with increasing irregular migration flows, home-grown hard drugs, terrorism and piracy. To address the complexities in Somalia, a new paradigm, based on the linkages between governance, security and development, is now needed. While the Somali elite - military, business and religious leaders, but also elders and intellectuals - bears most of the blame for the collapse of their nation, the international community cannot Shirk its own responsibilities. Today, all of us, Somalis and the international community, should undertake efforts to win each other's hearts and minds. Somalis have to find a way out of the trap, and we do too. Obviously, there is no possibility of wide-scale recovery and rehabilitation if the internal situation remains volatile.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“Mr. Ould Abdallah: The purpose of my presentation is to introduce the next steps in the implementation of the Djibouti agreement, an ongoing process, and to explain how I see Somalia's long march back to normality. First I would like to make a few observations, then to outline the importance of the linkages between governance, security and development, and finally to discuss how to make the best use of the first 100 days of the new Government. A few observations: for years, the situation in Somalia has been a threat to its people, with continued armed confrontation and subsequent anarchy, and a threat to its neighbours, with border insecurity and trafficking of humans, weapons and drugs. A vulnerable State has made the whole region vulnerable.”
2009-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.6095 (2009) · source
“A third credible possibility for the Security Council would be the establishment of a United Nations peacekeeping force. Given that the Somalis have suffered for so long, and given the current favourable political context following the Djibouti agreement, it seems to me that it is time for the Security Council to take bold, decisive and fast action.”
2008-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5942 (2008) · source
“It would be a terrible mistake to allow certain individuals to gamble with the future of Somalia and the entire Horn of Africa. Violence can easily spread across international borders. The continued neglect of Somalia poses a threat to international peace. Today, our choices for bringing peace to Somalia are limited, but the time has come to make a final decision. The African Union Mission in Somalia has been doing an excellent job under extremely difficult conditions. The Council could consider re-hatting that force if that could provide the needed capabilities. Another option would be an international stabilization force, as indicated in the Secretary-General's letter of 20 September 2007 to the President of the Security Council (S/2007/762), who at that time was the representative of France.”
2008-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5942 (2008) · source
“Such a development should provide security for humanitarian programmes - in particular, naval escorts for the World Food Programme, which brings 08-43530 80 per cent of its food aid to Somalia by sea. Unfortunately, those vital escorts - initiated by France and then conducted by Denmark and the Netherlands - have recently ceased. I sympathize with the Somali nationals who constitute more than 95 per cent of aid workers in south and central Somalia. They risk their lives daily and have, all too often, been the innocent victims of targeted killings. With international determination, as shown in Kosovo and elsewhere, the individuals carrying out these terrible deeds should not be given a chance to prevail. The international community must unite and show solidarity with the Somali people.”
2008-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5942 (2008) · source
“The agreement will not bring peace overnight - no agreement has ever done so - especially if spoilers and freelance mediators, as I stated to the Council in my presentation last December, continue meddling. For a long time, violence has been pervasive in Somalia, and it will continue for a while. However, the agreement provides an opportunity to marginalize and eventually stop such violence. At the same time, a review of those on the Security Council sanctions list should help to recognize the role of those individuals who have decided to change their behaviour and to support peace. Our priority should be to stay the course and follow through on the implementation of the Djibouti agreement.”
2008-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5942 (2008) · source
“I am grateful to the Security Council, and so are the Somalis. Everyone called on them to come up with a peace agreement, and the Somalis successfully delivered on that. They deserve the full support of the international community. In all peace processes, some individuals or groups always begin by rejecting agreements. Effective implementation of the agreement should be an incentive to bring more Somalis on board and to give them a chance to contribute to the rebirth of their country. In that context, I would like to propose that the Council make a strong public expression of its support for the Djibouti agreement and call on Member States to give it a chance to be implemented rapidly. For their part, the Somalis have started working together, and today the ball is in the court of the international community. We need to act quickly.”
2008-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5942 (2008) · source
“The Djibouti agreement was witnessed by a number of observer States and international 08-43530 organizations, including France, the United Kingdom, the United States, the African Union, the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the European Union, as well as by the host countries and representatives of Governments accredited to Somalia. The working visit of the Security Council to Djibouti at the opening of the discussions was one of the most important contributions to the successful conclusion of the Djibouti agreement. The Council delegation, led by the Permanent Representatives of the United Kingdom and South Africa, made a decisive impact on the negotiations and on participants and observers during the two-day-long exchange with Somali representatives.”
2008-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5942 (2008) · source
“The second option was to withdraw from a country where we have yet to make a significant difference. I know that it is difficult. Therefore, I advanced a third approach to try something different: simultaneous political and security action. The Transitional Federal Government, the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) and civil society organizations agreed, at the invitation of the United Nations, to attend the Djibouti talks, which were designed to bring Somalis together to end almost two decades of violence. On 9 June 2008, the internationally recognized Transitional Federal Government and the ARS, which was considered extremist while in power in Mogadishu in 2006, signed the Djibouti agreement. Members of both groups are now here in this Chamber as representatives of a future stable Somalia.”
2008-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5942 (2008) · source
“Mr. Ould Abdallah: This is my third presentation to the Security Council since taking office more than nine months ago. During my first presentation, on 17 December 2007 (see S/PV.5805), I proposed three options to the Council to address the Somali crisis. The first option was to continue business as usual, with massive assistance, including humanitarian aid, as we have done for the past 18 years. During the past 10 years, the official amount of assistance given to Somalia has been in the vicinity of $6 billion to $8 billion. That approach has helped to save millions of lives and should be commended and pursued. However, its side effects cannot be ignored, and it cannot be expected to bring lasting peace. Today, more than 3 million Somalis live in exile and more than 800,000 are displaced, and the violence continues.”
2008-07-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5942 (2008) · source
“To enable us to make the right decisions, a level-headed analysis should be based on firsthand information and expertise on the issues and in the field. An ideological or dogmatic approach should give way to continued flexibility and due respect for the basic United Nations principles of caring for populations and maintaining peace. In conclusion, Mr. President, in the past, your country has helped Somalia, in particular with building airports, which we still use today for travel to the country. Under your presidency, it would be symbolic if the whole Council could agree on concrete steps to show the same compassion for Somalia and its people as it has demonstrated elsewhere in Africa.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“Those solutions cannot all be imposed from outside. Somalis themselves need to change their approach. The "winner-takes-all" attitude, which leaves no room for power-sharing, has destroyed the country and its reputation. Compromise in negotiation, as demonstrated in the Agreement of Al Hudaibiyya - which is very important in Muslim countries - between the Prophet Mohammed and the people of Mecca, would benefit everyone. Reconciliation will profit all, from businessman and farmers to politicians and warlords. Obviously the situation in Somalia is very complex. Our analysis should therefore not be based on partisan or inaccurate news reports, which are particularly popular with computer users.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“I see all the measures I have just mentioned as a series of peacebuilding steps that can be undertaken in the short term and would help stability. 3 The international community also needs to address the question of impunity. Countless lives have been lost and thousands forced from their homes. Those responsible for the violence continue to profit from the misery of others. We have appeased the warlords, the extremists and the spoilers for too long by wielding the carrot but not the stick. Those who have carried out war crimes and crimes against humanity need to be brought to account through the International Criminal Court or another international or local body. There could be a commission of inquiry to look into the most serious crimes. The independent expert could also be more involved in addressing the issue of human rights.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“That concerns the whole United Nations country team - and, indeed, my office - and would follow the example of the respected International Committee of the Red Cross in Mogadishu. Being far more visible inside the country would allow all of us to closely engage with Somalis, identify their needs, assist them and restore the reputation of the United Nations. No other institution would benefit more from such a move than the Security Council, which, in my opinion, should visit Somalia this year. To facilitate those efforts to improve stability and encourage increased the numbers of international staff in Somalia, we will need to accelerate security sector reform and the training of the police force.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“I will continue my efforts in that direction. More can be done to protect ships carrying humanitarian assistance, as initiated by France last December. Denmark has now taken over the same task of escorting ships, and I understand that the Netherlands has volunteered to continue the work. I believe that such protection should be expanded into a United Nations task force, the mission of which would be to protect United Nations humanitarian supplies, deter human smuggling, reduce piracy and support the arms embargo. I have just engaged the services of a retired general to prepare a paper on piracy off the Somali coast. For our work to be truly credible, we need to deploy many more international staff inside the country.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“As the two tracks should advance together and reinforce each other, there 08-27826 is a need for similar action on the security front. Acting only on one of them - the political front - is like limping along on one leg. The Ugandan and Burundian troops are doing an excellent job, which is clearly the responsibility of the whole international community. They deserve our thanks. Indeed, as indicated in the letter of 20 September 2007 from the Secretary-General to the President of the Security Council, the security options should not be limited only to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) or United Nations troops. A strong interim multinational presence could also be an option. This would involve the friends of Somalia contributing political support, funds and troops to stabilize the situation, preferably under a lead country.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“They have a clearly mandated responsibility to become involved in a country where there are widespread violations of human rights and humanitarian law. The concept of the responsibility to protect was adopted at the 2005 World Summit of leaders and later endorsed by the Security Council. Indeed, today too much time is spent collecting numbers and statistics concerning the suffering of the Somali people. The real battle to be won is the battle to be close to and to protect the victims of armed violence, human rights abuses, drought and famine. In my last speech I called for simultaneous action on the political and security fronts. Those two tracks are undoubtedly closely intertwined. Today we have some progress on the political front with the Government reconciliation plan.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“We need to recognize and encourage the efforts made by Somalis themselves in terms of trade, telecommunications and infrastructure. They are encouraging developments, but they are not enough. While more people are now talking about Somalia, there is little action to stop the violence and opportunism. I believe that Somalia remains a prisoner of the past, never having been forgiven for the violent actions carried out against the international community in the 1990s. There is, it seems, either a reluctance to go back there or a deliberate decision to punish all Somalis, many of whom had not even been born when the last international intervention occurred. What is needed now is engagement by the international community. I am not asking outside countries to become active for moral or altruistic reasons.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“I visited Brussels, Cairo and 08-27826 Addis Ababa for consultations with Governments and international organizations. I will soon go to other countries, including the United Republic of Tanzania, which is chairing the African Union. Up until now, international attention has essentially focused on Somalia's failings. In order to do justice to the people's resilience and courage, I broadened the agenda by organizing a conference of Somali and international businesspeople in January, to discuss how the private sector can help move the country from a wartime to a peacetime economy. Building on the success of that conference, I am convening a larger follow-up summit later next week, which will be opened by the Somali Prime Minister and attended by international figures.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“Since I made that speech, there has been a new approach to addressing the conflict and some indications of progress both inside and outside the country. In full agreement with President Yusuf, Prime Minister Hussein has chosen a new and leaner Cabinet, half of whose members come from outside the parliament. It was welcomed both nationally and internationally. In another sign of progress, the Government moved to Mogadishu in January. I spent three days in Somalia recently and held joint discussions with the President, the Speaker and the Prime Minister, who assured me of their commitment to reconciliation. I addressed the parliament, which is backing the peace initiative. I also held meetings with the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia. I am continuing to engage in regular contacts with all sides.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“Mr. Ould Abdallah: Last week, Somalia's Transitional Federal Government announced its reconciliation strategy, which involves local peacemaking within the country and talks with the external opposition. That was widely welcomed. The Government's plan called for me to lead that process, and I am fully committed to helping the various parties come together for preliminary talks. I hope to determine the timing and location of those discussions soon. In that connection, I would like to congratulate the Somalis themselves, my fellow diplomats in charge of Somalia and the members of the International Contact Group. When I addressed the Security Council last December, I called for an end to the costly 17 years of a business-as-usual policy that has yet to bring peace to the country.”
2008-03-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5858 (2008) · source
“We must strengthen that contingent and try to find - Council members know how better than I do - a means to do that. Perhaps the neighbouring countries from the Middle East could help pending an additional AMISOM. reinforcement. That is what I wanted to say out of respect for the Council, and particularly as regards its credibility and the credibility of this Organization for which I work.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“I think that while waiting, my colleagues in the Secretariat should send a field mission. We cannot send it now, however, because of regulations. I have twice been to Mogadishu and Baidoa. Everybody is going to Mogadishu and Baidoa. I am not saying that it is like the Mediterranean and everything is alright. We can go to Somaliland and we can go to Puntland, but it is in Mogadishu where there are problems, in 4 out of the city's 16 neighbourhoods. We need to make an effort or admit our own powerlessness. It is said that the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) is doing work. However, it is more accurate to compliment the Ugandan contingent, as it is the only one there. African public opinion is aware, because of the Internet and radio, that there are none from AMISOM, simply a Ugandan contingent.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“If we maintain the status quo, humanitarian assistance, which is useful and essential, will continue to be shipped from Kenya to Somali ports. But there are limits after 17 years. After so many millions and so much energy spent, we can say that we have not been successful. Can we give up? That is morally and ethically difficult, so we need to act differently. In doing so, we need to accompany the Somalis in a political discussion, which is not easy, and we need to encourage them to dialogue. They are competent and serious. They can do this if we act in a consistent and serious manner. At the same time, we must provide them with a new security, which will not only give them stability, but will also provide jobs and reassurance. Escorting ships on the high seas will produce more security and reassure the population in Mogadishu.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“I will be very brief. I would just like to make the following comments. First, I am very pleased to make my first briefing to the Council in terms of my new mandate under your presidency, Sir, because your country has an expertise, it is involved, and I am working very well with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Rome. I would also like to say that I wanted to draw the attention of the Council to the need to review the working approach we have on Somalia. I say this out of respect for the Council. If we continue with the working method we have been using for 17 years, not only are we unlikely to achieve anything, but even worse, this institution risks losing its credibility. It is that motivation that led me to make these new suggestions.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“If the current trends of internal violence and external neglect continue, the consequences would be catastrophic for peace in the region, for the image and reputation of the United Nations, and, above all, for the long-suffering Somali civilians. A combination of many factors - support, pressure and effective action - would help patriotic Somalis to free themselves from the scourge of war and the ghosts of the past and to unite for a strong, independent and peaceful country. I have asked for some pictures of Somalis trying to flee their country to be circulated.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“With the Secretary-General's support, I plan to pursue this road to peace without delay. The Security Council may wish to support these two simultaneous actions. With its blessing, a group of Somalia's partners should reinforce the security capacity and deploy a peace presence. This would bring forward national reconciliation, encourage the return of the international community to Mogadishu and beyond, and reassure neighbours with respect to their security concerns. This arrangement, sanctioned by a major international conference, should mark the complete return of Somalia to the international community. The situation in Somalia is deteriorating daily, and it is time for the international community to commit itself to a clear course of action.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“A new initiative should reinforce it with the deployment of additional 3 capacity to stabilize our country. As time is pressing, this new peace presence has become a must. In this, Saudi Arabia - and I am mentioning Saudi Arabia because, last Ramadan, they invited Somalia for a meeting - Custodian of the two holiest sites in Islam and a close neighbour, where more than 350,000 refugees are currently living, should be invited to play a leading role. Given its successful contribution to peace in the previous conflict, Saudi Arabia can help. And why should support from one or two NATO member States not be made available, if necessary? On the practical level, the United Nations and the Somali Government should come to a swift agreement in close consultation with other concerned countries.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“These discussions should preferably be held in a location close to Somalia or in one where most observers following the situation in the country are based. Once agreement on talks is reached, the discussions should be concluded within a fixed time frame. Political leaders and, especially, members of the business community and prominent Somalis of the diaspora, should be invited to contribute. I am preparing the agenda, identifying a possible list of participants and the timing for this process. I am convinced that, when left alone, Somalis are ready to join their ranks and efforts to get their country back on its feet in the next few months. On the security front, concurrently with the political action, AMISOM. needs to remain operational and its effectiveness strengthened.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“I recommend two simultaneous actions - one on the political front, the other on the security front. On the political front, the Government should help by taking concrete steps to unite and strengthen its own ranks as well as its relationship with the opposition. The establishment of a Government of National Unity is one of the best ways to do so. More meetings between selected members of the TFG and those of the opposition should take place so as to prepare the ground for further and higher-level meetings. No large conference or freelance mediators would be welcome. This "critical path to stabilization" should include the opposition as part of the political process and should require the opposition to assume all of its responsibilities.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“The Transitional Federal 07-64634 Government (TFG) would have to be more active and make greater room for neutral personalities and competent members of the opposition. I take this opportunity to appeal to the Parliament to support this orientation. The objective is to form a Government that can support itself and administer the country effectively and peacefully. The Cabinet should be as representative as possible; we will never have unanimity - if we have 60 or 70 per cent in the first phase, that will be good. That Government should be capable of defending itself and maintaining good relations with all its neighbours. With regard to the conditions for success, as I see them, the Somalia crisis is an international problem. The United Nations should launch diplomatic action to mobilize a consensus aimed at stabilizing the country.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source
“For those who believe that Somalia is one of the world's unsolvable problems, withdrawal is the only course of action. A withdrawal would provide an alternative to the costly, continued engagement in Somalia that has so far failed to bring about stability, and it may not be difficult as an operation, because there are only a very limited number of international staff in Somalia and none is based in Mogadishu. The decision to intervene in some conflict situations while ignoring others of similar gravity would, however, have a far-reaching effect, especially in relation to public opinion, and not necessarily only in Africa. That is why I recommend the third option - taking effective action. Taking effective action would entail new political and security initiatives.”
2007-12-17 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.5805 (2007) · source