PRESS RELEASE

28 May 2011

The President of Puntland State of Somalia, H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud (Farole), has praised the U.N. Security Council Meeting on Somalia, held in Nairobi on 25 May 2011.

During a Thursday interview with the BBC Somali Service, the Puntland President was clear in emphasizing the value of the meeting and the discussions.

“The meeting was a follow-up to the High-Level Consultative Meeting held in April [12-13, 2011] and was aimed at exchanging views regarding the Somali crisis and the end of the transitional period,” said President Farole.

The President stated that the Puntland Government placed emphasis on three key points: 1) the reason for the establishment of Puntland as a Somali federal state; 2) Puntland’s experiences in fighting terrorism and piracy crimes; and 3) Puntland’s views on the end of the transition.

“Because of the political differences [among TFG leaders], and the limited time, Somali stakeholders have been given a second opportunity to convene in June and to chart a comprehensive plan for ending the transitional period,” said the President.

However, the President of Puntland stated that Mogadishu is “not the appropriate place” to hold a Somali conference, due to the chronic insecurity and threats of terrorism. The President called for the conference to be held “inside a peaceful and stable part of Somalia.”

He underlined that Ambassador Augustine Mahiga, the Special Representative of the U.N. Secretary-General to Somalia, has an international mandate to lead the process of ending the period of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).

“The meeting concluded with three major points: 1) the U.N. Security Council was unequivocal for its support of Somalia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence; 2) to hold elections for the positions of Parliament Speaker and President of Somalia; and 3) to convene a meeting in June for Somali stakeholders to chart the way forward, including TFG, Puntland, Ahlu Sunna, Galmudug, and Somaliland.”

Puntland President arrive Naiorbi

The President of Puntland told the BBC that, while a Somaliland delegation attended the conference as a fellow Somali regional administration, “some delegation members chose not to enter the conference hall.”

Puntland President arrive Naiorbi

A Somaliland delegation, which included the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense, were present at the U.N. compound in Nairobi as the President of Puntland addressed the 15-member U.N. Security Council.

The U.N. Security Council Meeting on Somalia was co-chaired by the Ambassadors from the United Kingdom and South Africa.

The Puntland President’s delegation includes Interior Minister Hon. Abdullahi Ahmed Jama (Ilkajir) and State Minister of the Presidency for Good Governance Hon. Mohamed Farah Issa (Gashan). The delegation arrived in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on Friday.

Source: Office of  P.President