Statement by the delegation of Ukraine at the UNSC briefing on the situation in Somalia

Statement by the delegation of Ukraine at the UNSC briefing on the situation in Somalia

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Statement by the delegation of Ukraine at the UNSC briefing on the situation in Somalia

(19 April 2016)

Mr. President,

I would like to warmly welcome President of Somalia, H.E. Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud. Our appreciation also goes to both briefers.

My delegation commends the work of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, United Nations Support Office for the African Union Mission in Somalia and other parties involved in close cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia.

We welcome the progress achieved in the areas of state-building, good governance, restoring peace, security and economic growth, which is crucially important in the light of upcoming parliamentary elections.

We especially praise the efforts of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia in ensuring security in the country and their significance for further establishment of peace and reconciliation. The recent extension of the Mission’s mandate until [31 March 2017] underscored the importance of the UNSOM’s activities in support of the work of the Federal Government of Somalia.

Ukraine strongly condemns the recent suicide bombing in the city of Gaalkacyo as well as the suicide car bombing of the Banadir Regional Administration headquarters in Mogadishu which took the lives of 14 people, including 2 children. Recalling the Al-Shabaab attack in March in the coastal village of Gar’ad on the shores of Puntland with a big number of children among the Al-Shabaab militants, we express our deep concern over the recruitment of children and their use in armed conflicts, along with other violations of international humanitarian law, committed against children in conflict situations.

It is very troubling that recruitment of children and youth into Al-Shabaab is carried out in mosques and schools. We are convinced that all efforts must be made to ensure that schools fulfil their primary goal of being educational facilities first and foremost offering students a path to better and peaceful future. The sanctity of places of religious worship also has to be respected and should not be used as a poaching ground to find foot soldiers to fill in ranks of terrorist groups.

In our view it is of outmost importance to enhance child protection elements in the AMISOM and UNSOM’s mandates to strengthen the respective mission’s abilities to effectively recognize, report and respond to violations and abuses committed against children, including their abductions by armed groups.

Ukraine acknowledges a positive impact of the collective steps taken by the United Nations and the Puntland authorities in making the necessary arrangements for ensuring proper treatment in accordance with international humanitarian law of child-soldiers, formerly recruited by terrorists to rehabilitate them and eventually to reunite with their families. Such children and youth should have an opportunity to complete their education and learn some trade to be able to make a living and to contribute to their communities.

Mr. President,

We commend the drafting by the Federal Government of Somalia of the National Security Policy and plans for a consultative meeting in the regions to advance its implementation.

The elaboration of a New Policing Model and an updated Heegan Plan for the development of the Somalia Federal Police at the federal, regional and state-level deserves special mentioning. This is an essential development for providing improved safety and security to the local population throughout all regions in Somalia.

Welcoming also the announcement on 25 March of a comprehensive agreement on peace and reconciliation among the peoples of Jubbaland, we call on the Federal Government of Somalia to continue cooperation with all relevant stakeholders to resolve long-standing disputes between different communities and administrations in the rest of Somalia.

The agreement reached between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Puntland Government with the latter agreeing to participate fully in the electoral process with the aim of forming a new federal parliament later this year constitutes another positive step on the way towards achieving administrative unity in Somalia.

Considering the achieved progress, we, as the Security Council, should stay focused on preserving current positive trends and securing implementation of all initiatives of the Federal Government of Somalia aimed at the establishment of the sustainable peace and completing the reconciliation process. You can rely on our continuous support, Mr. President.

Thank you.