Security Council extends UNSOM mandate to May 2022

GOOBJOOG NEWS|NEW YORK: The Security Council has today extended the mandate of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) until 31 May 2022.

The Council, during a security meeting, noted that “UNSOM should continue to coordinate United Nations efforts, maximizing joint approaches and programming, in full cooperation with the Federal Government of Somalia and the federal member states, focused in particular on supporting acceleration of Government-led inclusive politics”.

The Federal Government and federal member states were tasked with organizing free, credible and inclusive elections while sticking to the set datelines following the September 17 2020 and May 27 agreements. The two parties were also called upon to create a favorable political and security climate for the upcoming polls and to ensure that the rights to free expression, movement, association and peaceful assembly are upheld.

The council further demanded that all parties should strive to end and prevent the recruitment and use of children in armed conflict, and to cease detention of all children on national security charges where it is in violation of international law.

The misappropriation or hindrance of humanitarian assistance was strongly condemned by the council. Both the Federal Government and federal member states were also called upon to support and implement long lasting solutions for internal displacement and to ensure that refugees are locally integrated or resettled, and to create conducive environments for the safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) was established on 3 June 2013 by UN Security Council Resolution 2102, with its core mandate being provision of policy advice to the Federal Government and the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) on peace building and state-building in the areas of governance, security sector reform and rule of law, development of a federal system, constitutional review, democratisation and coordination of international donor support.

Fathi Mohamed Ahmed, Goobjoog News