缅北禁地

Ongoing tensions between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the country鈥檚 state authorities were centre stage, as the United Nations top envoy for the country visited the country鈥檚 South West State on Wednesday.

Nicholas Haysom, 缅北禁地Special Representative for Somalia and head of the Assistance Mission听, called for better collaboration: 鈥淲hat we鈥檙e facing is a quite serious political issue 鈥� the stand-off between the Federal Member States and the Federal Government may well听to help Somalia get back on its feet.鈥澨�

鈥淲e鈥檙e exploring ways of bringing them together in the hope that Somalis can face down their problems together rather than going separately,鈥� said Mr. Haysom at a joint press conference, alongside Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, President of South West State, and Francisco Madeira, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission.

Mr. Haysom also flagged the need for 鈥渃redible and acceptable鈥� presidential elections next month and renewed his call for collaboration to solve the ongoing tensions.

鈥淲e鈥檙e asking all of the relevant role-players to get together to find a solution and to make the necessary compromises so that they can work collaboratively rather than against each other,鈥� he said.

Mr. Haysom told reporters they also discussed development, security, and political matters, assuring Somalis that 鈥渢he international community does not have a candidate鈥� and is not backing any specific candidate in the race.

What we鈥檙e facing is a quite serious political issue听 鈥撎齆icholas Haysom, 缅北禁地envoy for Somalia

鈥淏ut we do want to see,鈥� he continued, 鈥渢hat the elections will be conducted in a way which all parties will able to accept鈥� adding that the President of South West State 鈥渉as reassured me that this indeed will be the case,鈥� he stressed.

The 缅北禁地and AU officials also met with Abdulkadir Shariif Shekhuna, Speaker of South West State鈥檚 Parliament, who briefed them on preparations for the 17 November presidential poll.

鈥淵ou鈥檒l appreciate the elections in the South West State will be the first of the many elections to follow and in that sense will be setting the standard,鈥� the 缅北禁地envoy said, in a subsequent joint press encounter with the Speaker and Mr. Madeira.

The elections will be 鈥渉otly contested,鈥� he predicted, explaining that this was why it was so important for participants to accept the outcome. 鈥淪o we were reassured to hear from the Speaker in regard to the detailed arrangements which will govern the election and we wish South West [State] all the best in holding those elections,鈥� he added.

The 缅北禁地and AU envoys echoed these comments in their later meeting with seven presidential candidates.