By Hasmik Egian, Chief of Staff - United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS)

January 24th, 2013

No amount of hearing and reading about the “paradigm shift” in Somalia, could have prepared me for the incredible reality of the change that unfolded in front of my eyes as we were driven last week from southern to northern Mogadishu to witness the transformation of the city. These were my first sightings of life outside the “UN wire”.

The skeleton symbols of the past war were everywhere, standing next to the newly rising constructions of residential houses, shopping centres, small businesses, restaurants and cafes, new streets being built and old ones cleared of debris.

As I continued the journey with my UN colleagues, we saw what real change meant in Mogadishu. It was an eye opener to see how the bullet-ridden city has changed for the better. It was also confirmation that the successful end of the transition in August 2012, leading to the establishment of Federal Government, is truly benefiting the country. In the past, the streets of Mogadishu had been deserted, but as we drove we saw a vibrant residential area around Lido Beach, the ghosts of once elegant villas and former embassies, juxtaposed with the ever-present tented IDP camps. Still, it was all reminiscent of a place that must have been beautiful once.

The lighthouse near the fish market, was picture-perfect, with fishing boats floating in the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, while holed-out edifices of Ottoman and Italian architecture line the road close to the market area. We witnessed a stunning beachfront of cafes and restaurants serving delicious fresh juices and an array of hot drinks - from traditional tea to cappuccinos, as well as an assortment of local dishes, with families enjoying a peaceful afternoon of togetherness. Had it not been for the armed guards on the beach, it would have been a perfect place of peace and harmony in any other part of the world. Even more surprising was to see a group of young boys and girls playing football on the beach, full of laughter.

Amidst all the destruction, there was so much vibrancy, life and hope … no one would have believed that this would have been possible a year ago in a city/country which had become the quintessential “failed state”. It was a place where hope was the last thing on people’s minds and yet, there it was hope being materialised right in front of our eyes. Seeing “inside” Mogadishu and “feeling” the vibrancy was also a reminder of the great strides made by the Somalis, with support from the international community, including UNPOS, in bringing about a successful political transition which has helped, in turn, to herald these changes on the streets of Mogadishu.

Now that Somalia has a new President, Prime Minister and Parliament, there is a new sense of hope, hope that is paving the way to a brighter future for the people of Somalia.

See scenes of change in Mogadishu on the UNPOS FLICKR site: http://bit.ly/Won9rF and on @UNPOSomalia.

4 October 2012

When I look back at the year that has passed, I feel really energized as it has been a very prolific year in Somalia.

I joined UNPOS in December 2010 as the Senior Constitution Adviser and at that time the Consultative Draft Constitution (CDC) was only just published. This was a milestone but it still had many gaps on key issues and it seemed difficult to gain the political support required to make progress on filling those gaps. The process seemed stuck.

The Kampala Accord was signed and paved the way for the Principals, the Somali stakeholders and the International Community including the regional states to unite around the Road Map to End the Transition. The finalization of the constitution was a central pillar to the Road Map.

Despite initial skepticism, the Somali stakeholders with the support of the international community threw their energies into this process and through a series of political consultations (in Garowe, Galkayo, Addis Ababa and Nairobi) and experts’ inputs, the Draft Provisional Constitution was shaped and submitted for provisional adoption by the National Constitution Assembly (NCA) in August 2012.

I met active young women and men in civil society, returning members of the Diaspora who became a part of this process, as members of these various committees, as part of the NCA and the NFP and as contributors of ideas.

I remember at the Garowe II meeting there was a tense moment during the discussions where people had polarizing views. An old Somali woman shouted out that women had been shut out for too long and wanted to be part of the political process. She described the sufferings of the women and she then broke out into song and all those present joined in. It was clearly a song that resonated of a happier era and it created a moment where people came together and the tension eased. It was also at Garowe that the commitment was made to provide a baseline representation for women of 30%. This was a defining moment.

At the NCA session where poets were reading out the constitution to members, discussions took place in committees and there was overwhelming support for the provisional adoption of the constitution. Even the unfortunate suicide bombing did not detract the NCA from its task. There is now a Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia and until a referendum is held, there is the opportunity to implement it and to improve it and review it through broader consultations.

One of my most enduring memories was observing the swearing in of the New Federal Parliament at the Mogadishu International Airport. The Somalis were totally committed to meeting the symbolic deadline for the end of transition (20 August). It was an open-air ceremony and half way through the proceedings the members broke for prayers, worshiped and the ceremony resumed. As the evening grew darker, the lights of the AMISOM and UN vehicles illuminated the site. It ended as peacefully as it began. It was a most serene evening.

*Experts from the Independent Federal Constitution Commission, Committee of Experts, Technical Harmonization Committee and Technical Review committee contributed to the finalization of the Constitution

Mogadishu, 21 September 2012 

Today the world observes the international day of peace, established for the first time in 1981 by the General Assembly and observed since 2011 as an annual day of non-violence and cease-fire. Peace has been a long time coming in Somalia. It is still fragile and with a lot of enemies.

However, the recent achievements in the political process give one clear message to all of us; that Somalis have embraced change and are longing for long-term peace and stability. The situation is still tenuous and unfortunately many individuals and groups would like to see the country pushed back into chaos and violence. Sometimes they demonstrate it in the most atrocious ways, as it happened yesterday with the deadly suicide bomb attacks on a popular restaurant in Mogadishu that claimed so many innocent lives. Today we remember the victims of this attack as well as all that lost their lives during the 20 years of Civil War and those who have survived and deal with their trauma every day.

Over recent months the Somali people have taken great steps towards peace and stability in their country and demonstrated to the world that they are determined to move forward. With a new constitution, federal parliament and president the people of Somalia are now more ready than ever before.

The theme of this year’s observance is “Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future”. Our duty is to support the Somalis in building a system based on institutions instead of individuals that can ensure sustainable peace for a sustainable future. Let us all observe one-minute of silence for those who lost their lives in the quest for peace and for a brighter future for Somalia.

Mogadishu, 16 September 2012

The SRSG for Somalia, Dr. Augustine P. Mahiga, congratulates His Excellency President Hassan Sheikh on the occasion of his inauguration as President of Somalia. 

“This is another great day for Somalia and the Somali people. Today in Mogadishu I was honored to bear witness as Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was inaugurated as his country’s President. This marks the end of the transitional period and the beginning of a new era for Somalia. The change that was envisioned in the Roadmap on Ending the Transition has arrived. The process was transparent, representative and Somali-owned and led,” said SRSG Mahiga.

“As the process moves forward,” Dr. Mahiga stated, “the UN Political Office for Somalia will continue to stand with the President in addressing key immediate tasks including stabilization of newly recovered areas, ensuring the integration and stability of the security services, delivering basic services to the Somali people and building a viable judiciary system.”

6 August 2012

This day, one year ago the Somali National Forces with the support of the African Union Mission in Somalia forced Al Shabaab from fixed positions within the city of Mogadishu. Somalia woke up that day with a renewed hope of security, stability and peace.

The international community has not abandoned Somalia. Especially, the African nations have shown their solidarity by sending their sons and daughters to fight with their Somali brothers and sisters for the advancement of peace in the region.

Today, one can see the fruit of this sacrifice. Mogadishu has been building on this momentum. The security challenges of course still remain, but one can only feel hope by moving around the vibrant streets of the city and noticing the colorfully painted shops, the children laughs and the markets reopened.

The Mogadishu International Airport has been welcoming more and more Somalis from the Diaspora coming back not only to rebuild their houses but to offer their services to the peacebuilding of the country.

Most importantly, this significant military victory and the many more that followed offered the opportunity to the political process to have a true Somali footprint. From the first Consultative Constitutional Conference held September 2011 until the National Constituent Assembly that adopted the Provisional Constitution just six days ago, Mogadishu has been hosting key events that advanced the peace and political process.

In true Somali spirit, traditional Elders are busy debating the names that will form the ne Parliament. Let us be equally hopeful that they select the leadership this country truly deserves.

UNPOS joins the Somalis in their celebrations today. A truly special occasion for all. 

The following post was submitted by Robin Gary, Constitution Legal Adviser for UNDP/UNPOS, who is spearheading UNPOS’ NCA task force in Mogadishu.

At the beginning of April I accompanied the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Peter de Clercq on the mission to assess the possible venues for the National Constituent Assembly; along with representatives of the Transitional Federal Government we visited a handful of sights and came out feeling that this task was impossible. How were we going to accomplish the preparation of a venue to hold the biggest constituent assembly in the world in one of the most dangerous cities in the world without enough time and with insufficient resources?

In our moment of despair, we looked to the Somalis. And as we began to engage, they stepped up to the challenge. As we approach the commencement of the NCA deliberations, the task we thought was unachievable, the test that we believed we were destined to fail, has been achieved.  I visited the venue today and improbably, it is ready to host one of the most important events in Somalia’s recent history, an event that can change the course of the country and provide for a better life for all Somalis.

In reflecting on this process, I can’t help but think that, in a way, it mirrors the struggle that Somalia has grappled with for the last 20+ years—a seemingly insurmountable task of creating a stable and secure environment for all Somalis. Progress has ebbed and flowed, felt hopeless and at times looked impossible — but then, with dedication, remarkable progress is achieved very quickly. It is my hope that, as the Somalis have succeeded to rehabilitate and elevate the venue to provide a comfortable environment for the Constituent Assembly in this limited time period, that another great success is looming and that we are on the eve of a historic moment in Mogadishu where a real change is going to take place.

A billboard from the BE INVOLVED: MY COUNTRY, MY CONSTITUTION public outreach and education campaign in the Dabka Junction in central Mogadishu. The provisional constitution will provide the base for future progress and development. It will protect human rights, ensure adequate women’s participation and guarentee fundamental freedoms without discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, origin, or other status.

12 July 2012

Over the last few days, much of my time has been spent facilitating the standing up of the Technical Selection Committee (TSC) for the selection of the National Constituent Assembly and the New Federal Parliament. The TSC was expressly created to provide quality control to the political selection process of the three most important bodies in recent Somali history: the council of traditional elders, which provides the names of candidates for the Constituent Assembly and Parliament; the National Constituent Assembly, which will approve the provisional Constitution; and the New Federal Parliament which will govern this country for the next four years until Somalia has universal, popular elections. This independent committee has the essential task of communicating with the public and thus ensuring credibility, transparency and integrity of the process. This will allow Somalis inside and outside the country to put their faith in the process and will build confidence that their future representatives were selected based on objective criteria.

As I leave Mogadishu for a few days before returning to support the process, I’m buoyed, energized and inspired by the motivation of our Somali colleagues in the TSC, many of whom have left their comfortable lives in North America, Europe and Australia to come home and contribute to the political future of their country. These women and men from the diaspora are doing so at great risks to themselves and at great personal expense, leaving behind well paid jobs and secure living environments. They believe that Somalia is at a cross-roads, and that their contribution and commitment can and will make a difference at this defining moment. I’m invigorated being part of such an experience. It is this commitment and momentum that will take us forward. It is a sign of stability and, I hope, will signal a turning point in this torn and devastated country.