MOGADISHU, Dec 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) – International partners called on Somalis to embrace dialogue, to agree on a way forward and to cooperate, to realise the priorities agreed for the year ahead.
The partners, including the Africa Union, UN, EU and the U.S. among others, said, the leaders, including institutions and communities, should work together to provide a conducive environment for universal polls, finalise the constitution and fight al-Shabab in 2020.
“Somalia’s objectives are achievable with the strong collaboration of all stakeholders, and 2020 has the potential to be a historic year for Somalia,” the partners said in a joint statement.
The partners who visited Jubaland, southern Somalia, in the third of a series of consultative meetings in Federal Member States said, they reflected on the progress made this year and looking ahead to 2020 as a critical year for Somalia.
“We are here to engage with a range of stakeholders and to hear their views on how key national priorities can be achieved in 2020,” they said.
The priorities, they said, include preparations for “one-person, one-vote” elections, finalisation of the Federal Constitution, continued progress towards debt relief, and the fight against al-Shabab.
According to the UN, Somalia last held one-person, one-vote elections in Mar, 1969, when the government was overthrown in a bloodless military coup.
Parliamentary and presidential elections took place in late 2016 and early 2017, through a system of indirect suffrage.
The partners said, the political situation in Jubaland remains unsettled but noted that Jubaland and its people will have their role to play in the work to achieve Somalia’s goals in 2020, adding that, they did not wish their views to be overlooked.
“Without a peaceful resolution, the Jubaland situation poses risks for achievement of critical national priorities. We are grateful to the representatives we met for sharing their ideas,” they said.– NNN-AGENCIES
