[As delivered]
Excellency, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia,
Excellency Mr. Hoosh,
Excellency Mr. Daud,
SRCC,
Senior Advisor Yusuf Garcaad,
Excellencies, Ministers and Somali Government Officials,
Members of the Legislature,
Members of the diplomatic corps,
Honorable guests, especially our civil society colleagues,
United Nations teammates,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,
I welcome all of you to this event to mark the conclusion of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) and to launch the new United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS). UNTMIS began operations on November 1st, 2024, as mandated by UN Security Council Resolution 2753.
Everyone here today knows that Somalia has made remarkable strides over the past three decades of its national journey – in the areas of security, governance, economic recovery, and many others. Throughout this period, the United Nations has been a constant partner, in different configurations: as UNOSOM, later as UNPOS, and until October 31st as UNSOM.
From its inception in Spring 2013, UNSOM provided good offices, policy guidance, technical assistance, and capacity-building to support an array of Somali priorities. Examples included: state formation in Galmudug, Hirshabelle, Jubaland, and South West; completion of the electoral processes of 2017 and 2022; and many reconciliation and conflict resolution efforts. Throughout its 11-year tenure, UNSOM worked to help Somalis as they made progress on issues such as constitutional reform, women’s representation, youth engagement, disability inclusion, respect for human rights, and more.
The new transitional mandate for UNTMIS was informed by a Somali government proposal developed after collaborative and constructive discussions by a Joint Technical Committee that included senior officials from the Federal Government of Somalia and from the United Nations in Somalia. I want to recognize His Excellency Yusuf Garcaad, Senior Advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, for his skilled and effective leadership as Chairperson of that Joint Techinical Committee.
Security Council Resolution 2753, which created UNTMIS, mandates that UNTMIS – while continuing to perform UNSOM’s prior tasks – is to begin from November 1st the formal transition of its functions to the Federal Government of Somalia, the United Nations Country Team, and other stakeholders. This transition is to occur in two one-year phases, projected to conclude on October 31st, 2026.
The Security Council emphasized in the Resolution that its fundamental objective is to maintain peace and stability in Somalia by supporting state-building and peacebuilding, and through the advancement of Somalia’s national priorities. Let me thank the representatives here today of countries that are members the UN Security Council for their support to Somalia, and to our Mission, through their adoption of this resolution.
Under the new mandate, throughout the planned two-year transition, UNTMIS is to give priority to areas critical to Somalia’s needs. Among those identified are: state-building, including the constitutional review process and the conduct of one-person, one-vote free and fair elections; promotion and protection of human rights and implementation of the UN Human Rights Due Diligence Policy; support for the justice and security sectors; coordination of donor support for authorities to deliver basic services and community reconciliation; and coordination of UN efforts in Somalia and with the anticipated successor mission to the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia. Again, all these priority activities are to continue into the second year of the transition.
During the first phase of the transition – so, by October 31st, 2025 – UNTMIS is mandated to complete the progressive and phased transfer of tasks related to the following issues: coordination and promotion of efforts in response to climate change; strategic policy advice on stabilization, disengagement of combatants, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration; support for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism and for Somalia to join international counter-terrorism agreements; strategic policy advice on mine action; and technical advice and capacity building to promote youth inclusion and child protection (other than activities related to Children in Armed Conflict). So, to recap, UNTMIS is to cease completely performing this list of functions by the end of the first year of the transition.
Please note that I have had time here only to paraphrase and summarize a few key points from Resolution 2753. I would encourage all of you to read the entire text for full details.
With this new Resolution, we now need to submit a roadmap for the first year of the transition to the Council by the end of March 2025. His Excellency the Foreign Minister and I have already met for an initial discussion of the way forward on the roadmap and how we will work together to plan the transition. I am confident the Federal Government and the United Nations will form a cohesive and focused team to deliver this important work, as we did before with the Joint Technical Committee.
The next two years will be a time of major change for our Mission as we draw down and prepare to exit. Please allow me to extend thanks to my UNTMIS colleagues - National and International Staff - for the resilience, adaptability, and commitment that I know they will demonstrate until the very last day of this transition. We also will use this period to provide additional training, capacity building, and professional opportunities to National Staff, who we know have much to contribute to Somalia’s future beyond their tenure at UNTMIS.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
In conclusion, let me assure you that – even following the planned exit of UNTMIS – the United Nations system, the UN Country Team, its Agencies, Funds, and Programs, will remain steadfast supporters of Somalia. The Country Team can be counted on to maintain its already active development and humanitarian programming, while also assuming increased responsibility for many functions currently performed by UNTMIS.
Meanwhile, throughout this transition period, we in UNTMIS will continue to work as Somalia’s partner, as the country builds on its successes to date and pursues greater peace, security, democracy, and prosperity for its people.
Thank you.