Opening the meeting, the UN Under Secretary General for Political Affairs expressed gratitude to those currently providing assistance to the Somali Government. He said financial support was critical and appealed to all those who pledged funds to ensure speedy delivery. He said that the UN Secretary General strongly supported the AU decision to bring the AMISOM force up to full strength by the end of the year.
Norway’s minister said they were committed to a long term engagement with Somalia. Subsequently Norway’s representative called on the Somali Government to become a more active partner and to improve delivery of services to the people. The US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa recognised what he called “the incredible work” that AU was doing through AMISOM which he said helped the delivery of assistance, protected installations and provided political space for the Somali-led reconciliation process. He called on the international community to stand firm against those who materially and financially support extremist elements, in particular Eritrea. He also expressed the hope that the group would continue to work closely to address the root causes of piracy.
Somalia’s Foreign Minister stated that his Government’s door was open for any individual who renounced violence. He said that security was the main priority and that the only reliable way to achieve this was to strengthen the Somali security forces, including the police. He said the insurgency had to be stopped by force and by strategy and that if the international community adopted a wait and see policy, it would result in dire consequences for Somalia, the region and beyond. The Minister warned that the current delivery mechanisms for funding were not working and they were open to any suggestions to enable funds to reach Somalia on time.
Kenya’s Prime Minister said Somalia posed the greatest challenge to peace and stability in the entire Horn of Africa. Instability in Somalia translated into instability in Kenya, he stated adding that there were a huge number of refugees in Kenya in camps in Dadaab.
Italy’s Foreign Minister said that if the international community took determined action they could make progress. He called on the Somali Government to continue its policy of outreach to all sectors of Somali society rejecting terror. He said that support and assistance should focus on reinforcing Somali security forces and AMISOM.
The UN SRSG said the Somali Government had largely survived on their own resources. He said that analysis was no substitute for policy and his office would begin monitoring reports each month to review their accuracy. On piracy he stated it was very important to recognise the positive role of the international maritime presence. He also emphasized the need to find a way to be closer to victims to be in Mogadishu.
The UN Under Secretary General for the Department of Field Support, said they were providing important direct support to AMISOM such as fuel, an evacuation system, communications equipment and setting up a radio station. She said there was a need to reach out to as many contractors as possible and that they were also looking at establishing a protected zone in Mogadishu.
Yemen’s Foreign Minister warned no one could afford to see the TFG fail because it would be a failure for everyone. He said security could not be separated from building Government institutions and improving the lives of Somalis.
The European Commission representative said they had to remain resolute in the face of barbaric acts. He said security was the most immediate concern in additional to humanitarian and development aid. Apart from concrete support, he said another challenge was the coordination of training and logistics. He said the Government had to start delivering basic social services to people to allow it to gain a more solid legitimacy and should engage Somaliland and Puntland to encourage political dialogue.
Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister said supporting the Government was essential and they should be helped in area of security, the police force and the army. He suggested focusing on building security capability and to carry on promoting the peacebuilding dimension. He warned that training the Government’s security forces without providing financial support would mean helping Al Shabab because otherwise the young recruits would change sides. He also spoke of the need to review AMISOM’s rules of engagement.
The French representative said the Somali Government was the only legitimate political force. Germany encouraged President Ahmed to continue reaching out to others. The UK said there was a need to take forward the inclusive political process. The League of Arab States said they would continue to provide logistic and financial support. The Organization of Islamic Conference called on member states to support AMISOM. Spain said the Government needed to extend its control beyond Mogadishu. Japan expressed its commitment to helping Somalia as much as possible while Russia spoke of the importance of fighting piracy.
Comment: All speakers emphasized the importance of immediate financial support for the Somali Government as pledged in Brussels. It was recognized that security was the priority but this had to be accompanied by political dialogue with those prepared to renounce violence. There was unanimous praise for the role of AMISOM and condemnation of the suicide attacks. Many countries spoke of the need to combat piracy and for the Government to deliver services to the population.