Statement by representative of the Russian Federation Vadim Kirpichenko at the UNSC meeting on the situation in Somalia
Madam President,
We are grateful to Special Representative of the Secretary General James Swan, as well as to Deputy Special Representative of the African Union Fiona Lortan for informative briefings. We listened to Annette Weber, Special Representative of the European Union for the Horn of Africa.
Madam President,
We closely follow the situation in the Federal Republic of Somalia, which today is facing serious challenges - a deep fragmentation of society, a terrorist threat and an abnormal drought that has gripped the country.
We consistently support the efforts of the Somali leadership aimed at stabilizing the internal political situation. We positively assess the completion of the electoral process, including elections to both houses of the Somali parliament, the election of the President of the country, the appointment of the Prime Minister and the new federal government. We hope that all participants in the Somali political process, including the leadership of the states of Jubaland, Puntland and Somaliland, will continue to work together with Mogadishu to form a sustainable model of a federal structure in the country. At the same time, we firmly believe in the need to ensure the territorial integrity and unity of the country.
We positively assess the activities of peacekeepers from Africa, who play a key role in the fight against terrorism. We consider the presence of the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to be one of the most important factors in deterring extremist and other illegal activities, as well as a guarantee of consecutive movement towards strengthening statehood in this country. We consider it important for the Somalis themselves to take an active part in the discussion of issues relating to the strategic goals, mandate, size, composition and financing of ATMIS.
At the same time, we are concerned about the noticeable increase in the activities of the Al-Shabab group, which controls vast areas of the south and center of Somalia. The militants from this group periodically carry out successful high-profile attacks with a large number of victims, including terrorist attacks in cities, attacks on positions and bases of ATMIS and the Somali National Army.
In conclusion, we would like to emphasize that the most important thing today is for the Somali government to concentrate its efforts on increasing the effectiveness of the federal security forces, including the national army, so that they can effectively ensure independent control over the security situation throughout the country.
Thank you.
