Somali President: “The culture of lawlessness that has plagued Somalia for the last 23 years is coming to an end.”
Mogadishu, 20 April 2014 – H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia today attended the opening of the National Security Conference in Mogadishu. Attendees included representatives of all segments of Somali society along with experts from the security apparatus and the international community. The conference aims to achieve successful engagement between a range of communities with a common interest in achieving security and stability in Somalia.
The President stated: “The culture of lawlessness that has plagued Somalia for the last 23 years is coming to an end. The National Security Conference is an example of the progress we are making in terms of security and stabilisation: a coming together of a variety of interested parties who share a common aim: bringing security and stability in Somalia. The conference will be a great success and those who attended can genuinely feel that they have played a part in building the future security of the nation.”
The President continued: “The discussions include a range of challenges to security that we have to overcome. The culture of lawlessness, violence and self-interest that has plagued our country must be changed. The rebuilding of professional security forces to a level where they can protect Somalia must continue. There is a desperate shortage of resources across the whole security infrastructure. We have to address all of these issues if we are to achieve long lasting security and stability.”
The President concluded: “In 2016 Somalia will hold elections. But there is much to do before those elections can happen. This conference will identify challenges and now we have to overcome them. The Government will implement the outcome of this conference as well as to continue implementing the resolutions we have made such as the Stabilisation Plan and the commitment to good governance. As a result, 2014 will be a busy year for the Federal Government of Somalia: the year of action and delivery. “