Statement of HE Amb Bari Bari to the UNHCR's 7th session- Read

[General Duke]

Ref: SPR/UNOG/0017/08 Geneva March 28, 2008

Intervention of H.E. Amb Yusuf Mohamed Ismail “Bari-Bari” to UNHCR’s 7th session

 

Thank you Mr President, Distinguished Excellencies,

 

I would like to thank the African Group for the wisdom showed in drafting this important resolution on Somalia A/HRC/7/L.19. As wells as Egypt for its excellent coordination. I would also like to thank Italy for its support and for the positive concern showed in drafting the past resolutions of the UNHRC on Somalia. As Somalis and as Government we welcome and highly appreciate the timely, tangible and historic stand taken by AU, IGAD and brotherly People and Government of Ethiopia as well as of Uganda, Burundi and Nigeria so far for having committed the best of their peacekeeping friendly forces within the legal framework of bilateral cooperation and AMISOM respectively, in support to the Somali people and their Transitional Federal Government in the most crucial period of our history. In this connection we kindly urge our brotherly African Governments to fulfil their pledges by deploying the remaining of the 8,000 peacekeepers as deliberated, as well as to all friendly countries to secure finance and logistic support for AMISOM operation. Moreover, I would like to particularly appeal to all friendly countries to support the UNSC so as to deliberate in favour of a comprehensive UN Peacekeeping Forces in Somalia in order to better support and strengthen AMISOM in order to assist the Transitional Federal Government to fully restore a lasting peace and enforce the rule of law through good governance starting with:

 

the timely reform of the Somali Judiciary system focused in particular on the Human Rights paramount issues and promote the culture of the Right for a Dignified Life;

the provision of the basic needs for the most vulnerable Somalis;

the training and equipment of the Somali Security Forces;

the provision of a sustainable recovery development programme.

Mr President, Distinguished Excellencies,

 

In the light of the current severe drought which is badly affecting human beings, livestock and crops production, I would like to strongly appeal to the International Community and concerned Organizations, in particular to the AU, LAS, OIC, USA, EU & its respective Member Countries for an immediate relief supply to the needed Somalis throughout the country in close coordination with the Transitional Federal Government. In this regard having the deployment of the AMISOM Peacekeepers on the ground I would like to stress and underline an urgent appeal to the friendly Governments of Somalia to take this opportunity to avail their engineering corps and logistics to provide the timely humanitarian assistance in terms of clean water, basic health care and basic development infrastructure network and for the creation of a Somali Civic and Environmental Protection Unit. Definitely this will promote a positive and friendly image of the Somali Security Forces.

 

Mr President, Distinguished Excellencies,

 

We welcome the draft resolution A/HRC/7/L.19 in the light of the peculiar situation of my country and for the need of a genuine and effective assistance on the Human Rights advancement in Somalia, right in the highly involvement of the Transitional Federal Government for the full restoration of lasting peace and enforcement of law and order, thus to speedy overcome the burden of the brutal and senseless protracted civil war which will favour, on the other hand, the stability of the entire region and beyond, as well as guaranteeing the security of the Somali territorial waters.

 

Mr President, Distinguished Excellencies,

 

We welcome the appointment of Dr Shamsul Bari as the new Independent Expert on the situation of the Human Rights in Somalia. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Dr Ghanim Alnajjar, the retiring Independent Expert for his tireless and valuable efforts during his tenure.

 

Mr President, Distinguished Excellencies,

 

We welcome and thank all the countries that has co-sponsored the resolution A/HRC/7/L.19 on Somalia.

 

Mr President, Distinguished Excellencies,

 

Lastly let me take this opportunity, on behalf of the Somali people and Government to wish the UNHRC’s 7th session all the needed success. Thank you.

[General Duke]

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