Security Council discusses revised UN presence in Somalia

The UN Security Council discussed a revised United Nations presence in Somalia to support recent political gains and to address the urgent ongoing humanitarian and human rights situations. “This period of transformation, with its opportunities and challenges, requires a step change in the United Nations support to peace building in Somalia”, the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Taye Brook Zerihoun, told the Council. Zerihoun supported Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s recommendation in his latest report to establish a broader peacekeeping mission in Mogadishu to simultaneously provide enhanced support to peacekeeping and to meet other development and humanitarian objectives. The new mission would include good offices, advice and assistance on security, peacekeeping and state-building, the preparation of elections, human rights and the rule of law, and assistance for the coordination of international assistance, Zerihoun said. The recommendation follows an integrated strategic assessment conducted late last year, building on discussions with Somali authorities, the African Union, civil society and international partners in Somalia and Kenya. The UN entities working on Somalia, including the UN Political Office (UNPOS) and UNSOA, which provides logistics for the African Union peacekeeping force in Somalia (AMISOM), are due to steadily relocate to Somalia over the next six to 12 months, Mr. Zerihoun said.