STATEMENT BY H.E. AMBASSADOR LE LUONG MINH,

PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF VIET NAM TO THE UN

AT THE SECURITY COUNCIL BRIEFING ON SOMALIA

(8 October 2009)

 

Let me, first of all, join the previous speakers in thanking Mr. Lynn Pascoe, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Ms. Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General of Field Support for their insightful briefings and for sharing their perspectives on the situation in Somalia with us.

It is clear from the Secretary-General’s latest report that the situation in Somalia is at a turning point. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has made significant progress in fostering national reconciliation, sustaining dialogue with the opposition groups, building capacity for local governance, integrating human rights into various aspects of the peace process and building a national security apparatus, just to name a few. My Delegation commends and supports President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed’s initiative to establish a Commission for Security and Pacification, which is tasked with reforming Somalia’s security forces and all law enforcement agencies. We applaud his commitment to fully implement the Djibouti Agreement in order to find lasting peace in this war-torn country. The main challenge facing Somalia, in our view, is to maintain the political momentum that started a few months ago. We are encouraged to note that the cooperation agreement signed between the TFG and Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a (ASWJ) in June has already shown results. We call upon the opposition groups which remain outside the Djibouti Agreement to put down their arms, renounce violence and join the reconcilation process.

While reaffirming that Somalia’s long-term security rests with the TFG and the Somalis themselves, my Delegation is of the view that the time has come for the United Nations, the international community and regional organizations to redouble the efforts to assist the TFG to repel the onslaught of extremist forces, which are intent on destroying the Djibouti peace process, and enable the Government to exercise its authority countrywide for the sake of the Somali people. We remain troubled by reports that the humanitarian situation in Somalia continues to deteriorate dramatically with more than 250 thousand people being displaced and some 3.7 million people in dire need of livelihood and humanitarian support due to intensified fighting in Mogadishu, growing insecurity in much of southern and central Somalia and deepening drought. The current alarming security and humanitarian situation in Somalia requires immediate and concrete international support, political and financial, to enable the TFG to accelerate the development of the National Security Force and the Somali Police Force in the framework of the Djibouti Agreement and in line with a national security strategy. In this connection, we welcome the efforts made by donors to disburse pledges made in Brussels last April.