1) The African Union (AU), the European Union (EU), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and the United Nations (UN) continue to follow very closely the situation in Somalia. In this regard, a further  virtual meeting was held on 18 May 2021, with the participation of Dr. Workneh Gebeyehu, Executive Secretary of IGAD; H.E. Amb. Bankole Adeoye, AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security; H.E. Amb. Rita Laranjinha, European Union, Managing Director for Africa; and H.E. Rosemary DiCarlo, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs.

 2) Following these deliberations, the AU, the EU, the IGAD and the UN: 

a) Reiterate their respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, and unity of Somalia;

b) Note the actions taken by President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and the House of the People of the Somali Federal Parliament to reverse the decision of 12 April, thereby lowering tensions in Somalia;

c) Welcome the role given to Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble to lead on security and election matters;

d) Commend the swift action taken by Prime Minister Roble to engage constructively with political and community leaders to stabilize the security situation in Mogadishu;

e) Express full support for the Prime Minister’s convening of a summit to resume dialogue; call upon the leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia and all the Federal Member States to participate in the summit in good faith and without preconditions; and encourage participants to work towards  a  consensual  agreement  on  the  implementation  of    the  17 September Agreement, including the 16 February recommendations of the Baidoa Technical Committee, which form a strong basis for the holding of elections without delay and with a clear timeline;

f) Emphasize that the summit represents a critical opportunity to move the country forward  towards  the  holding  of  elections  based  on  the  17 September Agreement; encourage the involvement of key stakeholders in discussions with the signatories of the Agreement; underscore that there should be no attempts to derail the process or obstruct agreement; and highlight the need for the establishment of an appropriate follow-up mechanism to sustain the implementation of the summit outcomes;

g) Reaffirm the previous decisions not to support any parallel process, partial elections, or new  initiatives  leading to any extension of prior mandates;

h) Deeply regret the decision by the leadership of the Federal Government of Somalia to reject the African Union High Representative for Somalia; and underscore the critical role of the AU in promoting peace and security in Somalia, including through the immense contribution of AMISOM;

i) Strongly encourage the Somali leaders to develop a concrete plan for the implementation of the minimum 30% women’s quota, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding women’s political rights and strengthening their political participation;

j) Emphasize the importance of the success of the upcoming summit; and strongly urge all Somali leaders to prioritize and participate in dialogue, exercise maximum restraint, and refrain from any actions that will further escalate tensions or lead to confrontation.

3) The African Union, the European Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, and the United Nations will continue to monitor closely the situation in Somalia.

Attachments:

Communique_AU-EU-IGAD-UN_20 May 2021.pdf

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2021-05-21 11:50

May 1, 2021 (DJIBOUTI, Djibouti): Yesterday, H.E Abdalla Hamdok, Prime Minister of the Republic of Sudan and Chairperson of IGAD reached out to Somalia political leaders and urged them to come together and resolve the current political stalemate through dialogue.

April 21, 2021 (DJIBOUTI, Djibouti): IGAD welcomes the proposed initiative to reopen dialogue among the Somali stakeholders to resolve the ongoing political impasse. Dialogue is an important process that provides space for confidence and trust building, and, is an essential prerequisite for comprehensive settlement of all outstanding issues.  

IGAD encourages all stakeholders to give the new initiative a chance, and re-engage in an open, frank and constructive dialogue in the best interest of the people of Somalia and with a view to unlocking the political stalement. IGAD reiterates that dialogue remains the best option for national cohesion, inclusive politics, peace building, reconciliation, human security and stability.  

IGAD strongly urges all Somali leaders to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any actions that will further escalate tensions or lead to confrontation; and in this regard, calls upon all stakeholders to prioritise dialogue in their political aspiration.  

IGAD values the important role of multilateral engagements in enhancing political cohesion and reconciliation, and to this end, stands ready to avail its good offices to support the proposed African Union initiative. Further, IGAD will continue to support the people of Somalia in their quest for peace, democracy and stability. 

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