British Foreign Secretary
,Op-ed on conference outcomes
Embargoed until 24thFeb.
STARTS
GettingSomaliaback on its feet.
Yesterday Britain hosted a major
international conference on Somalia, attended by heads of government and senior
representatives from more than 50 countries and organisations, including UN
Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon,the AU Secretary General Jean Ping,Arab
League Secretary General Nabil al-Araby/US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton] ,
and a large delegation of Somali leaders.
Together we agreed that the time was
right to work on a series of practical measures aimed at helping Somalia get
back on its feet.
First, we affirmed that the transitional
government in Somalia must end in August and that there must be no further
extensions.The Somali people must determine the shape of their
future political institutions — so we emphasised that the political process
must be inclusive and representative. We also agreed that the political process
should be open to all those who are prepared to reject violence, including
those in areas currently under Al Shabaab control.
We also acted on the decision of African
Heads of State to establish a Joint Financial Management Board to improve
public financial management.Our aim is to have a mechanisms in
place for reducing corruption, rebuilding trust and ensuring that Somali and
donor funds are properly and transparently spent on providing services to the
Somali people.
Establishing security is essential for
making political progress. That’s why the international community has
agreed to help AMISOM (the African Union troops) extend beyond Mogadishu, to
further counter the challenge currently posed by Al Shabaab.A new UN
resolution has endorsed an increase in troops from 12,000 to 17,731, along with
a new equipment package.
We also moved to support Somalia’s
regions of relative stability, agreeing principles for aid and establishing a
new fund to resolve disputes at the local level, provide jobs and basic
services that local people need and support the development of the local
authorities.The British Government announced a contribution of £15
million and several countries followed suit.
The conference also addressed the
challenge of terrorism - a threat shared by the Somali people, the region and
the wider world - prioritising the need to disrupt terrorists’ travel to and
from Somalia and to disrupt their finances. We will also be supporting the
Somali criminal justice system.
On piracy, the British Government and
the Seychelles will establish a new regional Anti-Piracy centre with support
from other partners, which will look to prosecute the king-pins, ransom
negotiators and middle men to break the piracy business cycle.There
were also a number of agreements between nations to make it easier for
suspected pirates to be tried in the region, and then transferred to Somali
prisons.
Somalia has suffered from a terrible
famine in the past year. The conference also highlighted the need for donors
from across the world to continue to respond generously to the crisis — and
provide aid on the basis of need alone. Despite the welcome announcement by the
UN that famine conditions in Somalia have now ended, the humanitarian situation
remains gravely concerning.2.34 million people are still affected.
Together these measures represent an attempt to change the dynamic in Somalia from one of inexorable decline to one of gradually increasing stability and security.We must be under no illusions about how long it will take to achieve it and our approach must be realistic and sober. We cannot turn Somalia around with one conference and the future is ultimately in the hands of Somalis themselves.However, Somalis cannot do it on their own; that is why we called this conference — to galvanise international support to Somalia and to send a signal to the people of Somalia that we will stand by them. And to remind all those who wilfully import and perpetuate violence and terrorism there that they should not underestimate our resolve.
ENDS
(600a words)
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Getting Somalia back on its feet.
Somalia has suffered from a terrible famine in the past year. The conference also highlighted the need for donors from across the world to continue to respond generously to the crisis