UN
30 Sep
2011
ICG on Somalia closes conference, committed to Roadmap implementation
Copenhagen, 30 September 2011 – The 20th meeting of the International Contact Group on Somalia, wrapped up a two-day conference today in Copenhagen, Denmark solidifying the Roadmap which defines the pathway to end the seven-year transition by August 2012.
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, co-chaired the meeting with representatives from the United States and Norway.
The ICG follows in the wake of the landmark Mogadishu Consultative meeting held from the 4 to 6 September in which the Roadmap was agreed to and adopted by the leadership of Somalia's Transitional Federal Institutions, the President, Speaker and Prime Minister, regional administrations—Puntland and Galmudug—and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jam'a.
"I hope this time we will also make considerable progress on building on the Roadmap. The Somalis side has shown considerable maturity and willingness to move forward in drawing up and adopting the Roadmap and we owe it to them to provide encouragement and resources," Dr. Mahiga said in his opening remarks.
The first day of the conference included presentations on political, security and piracy issues, while day two was devoted to discussion on the humanitarian situation and reconstruction and development.
All participants expressed their deep concern for the current humanitarian crisis in Somalia, appealing to the international community to provide as much assistance as possible to help alleviate the suffering of the Somalis. Dr. Mahiga stressed the need for a more organized distribution of assistance. "It is also necessary to put in place a tracking and accountability system to ensure that there are no gaps, duplication or losses in the delivery of assistance to the beneficiaries," he said.
Representatives from 36 delegations, including the African Union and regional organizations IGAD, League of Arab States, and the Organization of Islamic Conference took part in the conference. In addition to Prime Minister Abdelwelli Mohamed, Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, delegations from the Transitional Federal Parliament, the regional governments of Puntland and Galmudug and Ahlu Sunna wal Jama'a also participated in the meeting.
Dr. Mahiga said he expected that the conference should succeed in mobilizing international support for the Roadmap implementation and reaffirm commitment on the part of the Somali stakeholders.
A communiqué issued by the conference recommended timely implementation of the priority tasks including accelerated efforts to complete and adopt the constitution, political outreach and reconciliation, enhanced security, humanitarian recovery and development and strengthening national capacity for the promotion and protection of human rights to end impunity.
