Puntland's Position on London Conference II for Somalia

[Illyria]

Puntland Government Position on London Conference II for Somalia

 

PRESS RELEASE

03 May 2013

 

Puntland Government values the commendable efforts and role Her Majesty Government continues to play in Somalia. Puntland is ready to contribute towards rebuilding a prosperous future for the Federal Republic of Somalia and its people.

 

Puntland contributes to peace and stability in Somalia. The State consists of an area in northern Somalia approximately one-third of surface land and 1,300-km coastline in Somalia. Puntland played an instrumental role in the national constitutional process and ending the transition in Somalia. The State has also been at the forefront in the fight against extremism, terrorism and piracy in Somalia.

 

For years, Puntland has expressed at international public forums its genuine concerns regarding the misbalanced international assistance to Somalia. As such, Puntland hoped that the London Conference of May 7, 2013, would propose a new comprehensive approach to international engagement in Somalia that takes into account existing realities on the ground and Puntland’s rights, as accorded by the Provisional Federal Constitution (PFC).

 

President of the Somali Federal Government (SFG) H.E. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud paid an overnight official visit to Puntland on April 28, 2013. Despite the short notice, a big welcome ceremony was prepared for the President’s delegation and the President of Puntland, H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud, hosted well-organized dinner at State House in Garowe. A large audience attended the State dinner from different sectors of civil society, which offered President Mohamud an opportunity to address the people of Puntland, and the Somali people more generally.

 

Puntland prepared a thorough agenda to discuss with the visiting SFG delegation. The agenda points included: a) implementation of SFG-Puntland Agreement of March 11, 2013; b) security cooperation; c) respect for Puntland’s constitutional rights; d) implementation of federal system; and e) serious concerns about tampering with the PFC, equitable sharing of international assistance, issues related to natural resources, and a lack of SFG consultation of national affairs with the Federated States, as sanctioned by the PFC.

 

President Mohamud and President Farole agreed in principle on: a) continuation of the national peace and reconciliation process; b) the eventual reintegration of Somali National Forces in a consultative process; and c) the implementation of SFG-Puntland Agreement of March 11, 2013. However, the SFG delegation arrived in Garowe without an agenda and posed major obstacles by categorically refusing to discuss the agenda of national affairs submitted by Puntland. President Mohamud’s delegation also presented obstacles to the speedy implementation of the federal system, most notably by opposing the voluntary formation of ‘Jubaland State’ in southern Somalia, in line with the PFC.

 

Puntland calls on Her Majesty Government to take into serious consideration existing realities in Somalia and the critical need for Federated States (Puntland) to fulfill their mandate under the PFC, on international assistance, economic matters, treaties, and important international accords (Article 54), and national security and federal affairs (Article 208).

 

Additionally, Puntland is seriously concerned with the tampering of the PFC, endorsed by the Roadmap Signatories in Nairobi on June 22, 2012, co-signed by the U.N. as a guarantor, and adopted overwhelmingly by the National Constituent Assembly in Mogadishu on August 1, 2012. Puntland calls on the SFG President, as Custodian of the Constitution, as well as the Speaker, and the SRSG, to launch a full inquiry urgently and to declare an explanation to the citizens of Somalia.

 

Regrettably, as Puntland did not receive an official invitation from any party, Puntland will not send an official delegation to attend the London Conference. Puntland will soon forward a Position Paper on Somalia to the London Conference II.

 

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Source: Puntland Government

[xiinfaniin]

Illyria,

 

This is very painful realization but a realization nevertheless that cannot be wished away: Hassan wants to settle the civil war in his terms, he wants to ignore the constitution , and he wants to ignore the political reality on the ground.

 

Puntland thinks that is not what it signed up for, and it is not certainly what the constitution informs.

[Illyria]

Xiin

I agree something is definitely not right tho' I do not know what. I do not know who is advising him.

A trend I observe in President Hasan is line with others who came before him in that he is acting as if he gained power by way of overthrowing an unpopular king, and as if he has a complete authority over the territories. Almost as if he is a President for a country other than the Somalia that has been stagnant and caught up in n perpetual civil war for over 20 years. Who are his advisers? Someone please wake him up from the snore.

[Carafaat]

Previous goverments have made the mistake not to act like a real goverment, from Ali Mahdi to Sheick Shariif all have acted like they are representatives of sub-clans rather then of the goverment, thus excersising no authority at all and booking no results. Kudos to the first recongnized goverment to act like a real goverment, speak with one voice and taking a stand. We will judge them by content and results rather then clan formulas.

[Suldaanka]

Someone needs to tell Faroole that the days of warlords wielded power is well and truly over. He needs to adjust to the new reality on the ground otherwise risk being left behind.

 

A stable and prosperous Mogadishu has always been one thing the Pirate boys didn't want to see as that means their relevance to Southern Somalia's politics greatly diminishes.

[Taleexi]

Hargeisa admin's political maneuvers and experimentations for the last 20 years or so have shown otherwise. This is not to say PL and SFG are not in conflict.

[Homunculus]

Suldaanka;945800 wrote:

A stable and prosperous Mogadishu has always been one thing the Pirate boys didn't want to see as that means their relevance to Southern Somalia's politics greatly diminishes.

Quite the opposite, they worked very hard to create a stable and prosperous Mogadishu but they wanted a Somalia where they have the right to exist within a federal state, it came as shock to them that the government that they helped create is doing everything to undermine them and what was more perplexing was for them to be continuously ignored when they aired their grievances. I myself think boycotting is a mistake, but the absence of Puntland and Somaliland might render this conference irrelevant, which is very unfortunate.

[Somalia]

Suldaanka;945800 wrote:

A stable and prosperous Mogadishu has always been one thing the Pirate boys didn't want to see as that means their relevance to Southern Somalia's politics greatly diminishes.

The people that worked the hardest to restore a government in Mogadishu DIDN'T want to see a peaceful Mogadishu?

 

That's a new one.