UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations, African Union and European Union urged the Somali government and opposition on Monday to quickly agree on a date for elections, warning that the delay is fueling violence and impacting the impoverished Horn of Africa nations development and security.
Acting U.S. ambassador Richard Mills echoed their appeal to swiftly resolve the political impasse, saying last week’s political violence on the streets of the capital Mogadishu over the failure to hold elections is the latest indication that if not resolved soon, Somalia risks regressing deeper into instability.
At least five soldiers were killed and more than a dozen people, mostly civilians, were wounded in last Fridays violent protests over the countrys delayed election. The chaos occurred hours after Somalias government and opposition leaders said gunfire erupted overnight near the presidential palace.
President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed is under pressure as the Feb. 8 election date came and went without resolution of issues related to how the vote should be conducted in the Horn of Africa nation. Some Somalis are demanding that the president step down.
The unrest is ripe for exploitation by the Somalia-based al-Shabab extremist group, which has threatened to attack the polls.
James Swan, the U.S. special envoy for Somalia, told the U.N. Security Council that al-Shabab continues to pose the primary threat to the security of the country … and the beginning of 2021 has seen a new peak in the number of attacks, including using improvised explosive devices carried by vehicles and people targeting government officials and key figures in Somali society.
This is a tense moment in Somalia, as both rhetoric and actions are escalating, he said. We are seeing increased brinkmanship, pressure tactics, and tests of strength that can only heighten risks.
Rita Laranjinha, managing director of the European Unions External Action Service, warned that the failure to reach agreement on how to conduct elections is a risk for Somalia, and if not addressed urgently will become a risk to regional security.
Francisco Caetano Madeira, head of the African Union Mission in Somalia, called for restraint from acts that can escalate tension and lead to further violence.
The U.N., AU, EU, and other council members urged Somalias feuding parties to respect the Sept. 17, 2020 agreement by the federal government and leaders of the countrys states on holding elections.
The AUs Madeira stressed that elections are an absolute necessity to renew and reaffirm peoples trust and confidence in their leaders. Somalias leaders should return to the negotiating table guided by constructiveness, compromise and consensus, he said.
The EUs Laranjinha warned that if Somalias leaders fail to come to political arrangements, al-Shabab and other spoilers will benefit and the gains made to move Somalia to debt relief also risk being squandered.
Time is therefore now for us, together, to reinforce our commitment towards a more comprehensive political and stabilization approach, she said. Only this can be a meaningful basis for allowing space for Somalia to lead its security post-2021 and for the African Union, the neighbors and partners to continue providing support.
American envoy Mills said the Biden administration believes a technical committees recommendations on Feb. 16 provide a clear framework for resolving the impasse and should be implemented as a matter of urgency.
Let me be clear: partial, parallel, or alternative election processes, including prolonged interim governing arrangements, would only further increase prospects for instability and be a major setback for Somalia, Mills warned.
U.N. envoy Swan said he remains convinced that the Sept. 17, 2020 agreement offers the best option to proceed quickly to an electoral process for selecting members of parliament, senators and the president.
This would minimize further delays in Somalias four-year transition cycle, ensure that the chosen national leaders have a clear mandate and are widely accepted, and allow the country to turn its attention from the current political competition to other vital national priorities in the interest of its people, he said.
Swan stressed that the humanitarian situation in Somalia remains dire, with an estimated 5.9 million people needing aid, up from 5.2 million last year.
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