Your Excellency, President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh, President of the Republic of Djibouti, IGAD Chair, our generous host and host of the 2000 Somalia National Peace Conference,
• Your Excellency, Dr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia,
• Your Excellency, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission,
• Distinguished Representatives of the United Nations, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,
• Honourable Ministers, Ambassadors, and Members of the Diplomatic Corps,
• Esteemed Elders, Women Leaders, and Civil Society Representatives,
• Ladies and Gentlemen.
1. Twenty-five years ago, when much of the world had given up on Somalia, Djibouti did not. When powerful nations failed to find a way forward, the smallest nation in the IGAD region once again showed that it had the biggest heart. Djibouti opened its doors and said: our brothers and sisters are hurting, and we will not turn away .
2. What happened here in Arta in the year 2000 was an act of great and enduring faith. The faith that dialogue could defeat despair, the faith that our Somali brothers and sisters gathered under these trees could achieve what warlords and outsiders could not. Nearly a thousand delegates came, not with guns, but with genuine grievances, hope, and the firm belief that their country deserved better.
3. And they delivered. They gave us Somalia the Transitional National Charter, the first constitution written by Somalis, for Somalis and on Somali soil in nearly a decade. They created and delivered a parliament where, for the first time since the civil war began in 1991, none existed.
4. And it was also an inclusive parliament; the women of the “Sixth Clan” did not just participate, they organised, they claimed their place as mothers of what was then a bruised, battered and broken nation, and they played their role in healing it. That nurturing spirit of motherhood played a big part in recovering from the wounds of war and it still echoes across our region today.
5. Your Excellency, President Guelleh, it is only through your vision and the generosity of the government and people of Djibouti that this was made possible. You provided not just a venue, but a sanctuary where former enemies could sit as equals. You showed us all that regional solidarity goes beyond rhetoric; it is a deliberate choice, a painful sacrifice, and sometimes, a modern miracle.
6. Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen, we all know that the road from Arta since the year 2000 has been long, and it has been difficult. But Arta gave Somalia something it desperately needed: a starting point.
7. It proved that Somali-led solutions, rooted in tradition and custom, could work. It reminded the world that peace is not imposed artificially from without; it must grow organically from within, nurtured by patience, respect, and the courage to forgive.
8. Today, as we stand before this Peace Memorial, let each and every one of us here, across the IGAD region, the African continent and the world, remember what Arta teaches us: that inclusion matters. It teaches us that when women, elders, and civil society have a voice, better decisions are made.
9. It teaches us that neutral ground and impartial hosts can change history. And it teaches us that reconciliation is not one single, shining moment, but an unceasing journey that each generation must continue.
10. IGAD was here with you in Arta a quarter of a century ago, and we are still here with you today, and we shall continue be with you tomorrow and always, because Somalia’s peace remains our collective responsibility.
11. The challenges may have changed, be it from the persistent threat of al – Shabaab , consecutive climate shocks, or even the continuing questions on federalism, but the Arta spirit endures. And that spirit continues to say to us: sit down, talk, listen, and find common ground .
12. To the people of Somalia: you have survived the unimaginable and rebuilt from the ruins. You have our unwavering support as you continue to refine your systems, to include every voice and to dream boldly of a world without limits for your children. The world has witnessed your strength and your resilience; now let it witness as you flourish.
13. To the leadership, the government and the people of Djibouti: your leadership twenty-five years ago saved a nation. Your unending hospitality on this day reminds us why regional brotherhood matters.
14. To all of us gathered here: let us leave Arta recommitted to dialogue over division, to patience over patchwork solutions, and to the unshakeable belief that peace, even though it is very fragile, is always possible.
15. This memorial stands tall as more than a tribute to the past; it is a promise to the future and the future’s future that we will keep trying, keep talking, and keep believing in the better qualities of our shared humanity.
Thank you and may the spirit of Arta continue to guide us all.
