The agreement comes after the German government and regional leaders held a one-day conference on the electoral model in Mogadishu. In the ensuing discussion, delegates broadly welcomed the agreement on the electoral process and called on heads of state and government to resolve outstanding issues and hold legislative and presidential elections as planned. They also agreed that al-Shabaab remains a major threat to Somalia`s security and stressed the role of the UN in building the capacity of national forces. However, the voting model adopted in September unfortunately did not live up to the constitutional requirement of direct universal suffrage in the election of parliamentarians, he noted, stressing that the agreement reflected a broad political consensus and ownership. “In the future, this broad political consensus must be preserved and even deepened,” he said. Farmajo, who hosted the leaders of Galmudug Regional States, South West State, Hirshabelle, Puntland and Jubaland, including the Mayor of Mogadishu, agreed to make a number of changes to the three previous electoral arrangements made in Dhusamareb, the capital of Galmudug. She went on to highlight the obstacles women face in the current electoral process, saying they include direct opposition to the quota by some religious leaders, traditional elders and politicians, as well as lack of access to financial resources. Women`s economic empowerment is crucial to put them in a good position to compete in the political arena, she said, stressing that the sharp decline in the number of women`s seats in all state parliaments except Jubaland shows the urgency. It called on the National Advisory Council to respect its agreement on quotas and called on the Federal Government, political parties, opposition groups and civil society to work together for free and fair elections, and urged the Security Council to closely monitor and exert pressure on each of them. Although the agreement showed that somali leaders have reached a much-needed consensus on the design of the elections, there are a number of weaknesses and ambiguities that, if left unaddressed, threaten the inclusiveness and integrity of the process. There are also several contentious political issues that, if left unresolved, may also increase the risk of conflict in the coming months.
The impact of violence and insecurity on women`s ability to participate in political and electoral processes is another likely theme of today`s meeting. Mohammed`s visit came shortly after the disappearance of Ikran Tahlil Farah, a cybersecurity expert who worked for Somalia`s National Intelligence and Security Agency. Disagreements over the investigation into Tahlil`s disappearance have exacerbated tensions between Farmajo and Roble. On 17 September, Council members held closed consultations to discuss the possible impact of political tensions on the electoral process in Somalia. In a press release dated 18. In September, the members of the Security Council expressed concern about the continuing disagreements within the Somali Government, called on all parties to exercise restraint and stressed the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability in Somalia. At today`s meeting, Mohammed and council members can also refer to the September 25 suicide bombing in Mogadishu, attributed to Al-Shabaab, which claimed the lives of at least eight people, including Hibaq Abukar, who was an adviser on human rights and women`s affairs in the Prime Minister`s Office. The representative of France regretted that, despite the political agreement on an inclusive election, the principle of one person`s vote, one vote had not been respected. It is now crucial that all other agreements for free and fair elections are fully implemented, she said, stressing the particular importance of respecting the quota for women`s representation, as well as other principles within the framework of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda. Noting that the serious threats to human rights and security continue, she said that development must take place within AMISOM and expressed her full support for an independent assessment that must be carried out effectively and in a timely manner. Given the persistent threat posed by al-Shabaab, France welcomes the renewal of the sanctions regime against the group and stresses the need for governance and security reform, as well as economic recovery in this context. It calls for priority to be given to strengthening all institutions aimed at preventing impunity for crimes against human rights.
“Next year will be a year of transition in which Somalia will assume leadership responsibility on security issues,” he continued, stressing the need to agree on a strategic vision for national security involving all stakeholders. The German government is drafting an updated transition plan that must address many long-standing challenges, including the need for realistic operational targets, credible plans for force building and clear coordination structures, he said, adding that it will also serve as a basis for further discussions in the coming months to guide the role of the Somali security forces. AMISOM, the United Nations and bilateral security partners. Somalia is at a critical juncture with the imminent end of the mandates of the federal parliament and the executive. In this context, it welcomed the agreement on a 30 per cent quota for women`s participation in government positions, while stressing the need for an implementation mechanism to this end. The significant increase in women`s representation so far is due to the representation of the interests of women`s civil society groups in cooperation with the support of the Committee of Women`s Goodwill Ambassadors, the United Nations and key members of the international community. She stressed that reaching the quota is the specific goal of her movement, which has been active in the electoral process since 2016. On the 17th. In September, the heads of state and government of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the five federal member states (FMS) agreed on an indirect electoral model for the country`s upcoming elections.
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