President stresses political progress is central to building a united Somalia in address to High Level Meeting at the United Nations General Assembly
24 September, New York, United Nations General Assembly: Today, HE President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud addressed a High Level Meeting on Somalia: “Implementing Vision 2016: Inclusive Politics in Action”, on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.
The President co-chaired the Meeting with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Chair of the African Union Commission, H.E. Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The meeting was attended by Heads of Delegations and Representatives of Member States, Observer Missions and the World Bank.
Speaking at the Meeting, the President highlighted the transformation of Somalia over the past two years, praising the efforts of the Somalia National Army and the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) in liberating 70% of south and central Somalia from terrorists and returning it to the control of the Federal Government of Somalia.
“Somalia’s transformation has been hard-won through a dual strategy of securing the country from terrorist extremists and state-building. Both strands have been made possible by substantial financial, military and technical international contributions.
“Somalia is now the only fragile state in the world successfully defeating a terrorist organisation on its on soil. But delivering peace and maintaining stability in Somalia will involve more than militarily defeating terrorists,” the President said.
Vision 2016, as articulated by the Federal Government, sets out an ambitious program of state-building by 2016, including the completion of a constitutional review, formation of federal states, and the conduct of national elections.
The President continued, “We must not forget the importance of political reconciliation and reform for maintaining long-term stability, and creating an enabling environment for development gains.
“Somalia is moving along the road of integration, of inclusivity, of peace. We are leaving behind the disorder and discord sewn by distorted ideology. We reaffirm our choice that reconciliation – the path that we have chosen – will be won through dialogue, through inclusive politics, through creating a shared vision of what Somalia can be.”
The President will address the UN General Assembly on Friday 26 September.