BRIEFING NOTEonThe Constitutional Conference in Garowe and the Roadmap
21 December 2011
The Reconciliation and
Constitutional Conference in Garowe, Puntland, marks another step towards the implementation of the Roadmap for
Ending the Transition in Somalia by discussing
and agreeing to the constitution-drafting and adoption process.
· The meeting includes President Farole,
President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, Speaker Sharif
Hassan and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Ministers of the Somali Government, representatives of Ahlu Sunnah
Wal Jama’a (ASWJ), Galmadug, 3 of the 9
Committee of Experts, some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), UN, IGAD, Economic Commission (EC) and a number of
Parliamentarians.
· The development of a constitution for Somalia
is central to a wider series of reforms and
actions, required to be implemented under the Roadmap. They fall under the
four headings of Security; Constitution; Good Governance; and Outreach and Reconciliation.
· The Roadmap was discussed and adopted at a
Consultative Meeting in Mogadishu on
6 September 2011. The meeting in Garowe is expected to consider
recommendations produced on
parliamentary reform, hold discussions on reconciliation initiatives and agree on the next steps for the
constitution-making process.
· Currently, many hundreds of pages of feedback on the current draft constitution havebeen received and are being considered by the Independent Federal Constitution Commission (IFCC). Once a final draft is drawn-up (the Roadmap requires) a Constituent Assembly (to) will discuss and adopt the draft constitution. Political reform will take place step-by-step and must bring together all the major political factions in Somalia in order to build lasting peace and stability.
In addition to the Transitional
Federal Institutions (TFIs), representatives from the regional administrations of Puntland and Galmadug; the
ASWJ; representatives from the business community,
the professions, religious leaders, elders, youth and women’s groups have
been included in consultations.
· To carry forward the next stages of the
constitution-building process the Government
has appointed a nine-member Committee of Experts and the Prime
Minister intervened to ensure that it
works with the IFCC.
· The Government has appointed a Committee to carry out the process of setting up anIndependent Interim Electoral Commission which would oversee the ConstituentAssembly, which in turn, would eventually adopt the draft constitution.
· Looking towards an electoral process for
Somalia and in order to enhance representativeness
in Government, the Council of Ministers have set up bodies to deliver the relevant processes.
· Building on the growth of security in
Mogadishu, the Somali Police and NationalSomali Security Agency conduct regular patrols and man checkpoints in
the city. The National Security and
Stabilisation Plan (NSSP) is currently awaiting approval from Parliament.
· The Government has supported the establishment
of local peace-building initiatives in Galmudug,
Himan and Heeb, Puntland and Gedo.
· In the humanitarian sphere, the Government has established coordination mechanismsto help improve the delivery of aid, including a Coordination Office in the Prime Minister’s Office and a Disaster Management Agency.
· The Council of Ministers have agreed to re-establish the Bureau for the Investigationof Corruption and the Interim Commissioners are currently undergoing vetting processes.
Challenges remain. Deadlines
have been missed but work is continuing and gradual progress is being made. There have been difficulties
in the areas of national reconciliation, declaration of an Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ) and
increasing transparency in governance. Delayshave often been due to inadequate capacity, agreement on means of
implementation and resources.
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Somalia:BRIEFING NOTE on The Constitutional Conference in Garowe and the Roadmap
Looking towards an electoral process for Somalia and in order to enhance representativeness in Government, the Council of Ministers have set up bodies to deliver the relevant processes.