Aden Declaration

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Country/entity: Somalia
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Aden Declaration
Date: 5 Jan 2006
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Somali Civil War (1991 - )
Originally spurred by centre-peripheral tensions, fighting broke out in 1981 between the regime of President Said Barre and the Somali National Movement, a militia primarily consisting of members from the northern Ishaq clan. Fighting intensified in the late 1980s as more clan-based militias arose. President Barre’s regime collapsed in late 1991 and as a result the UN intervened. However persistent attacks on the UN’s forces forced a withdrawal in 1994. From the mid- to late 1990s, the character of the conflict shifted as warlords fought for access to rents. Also during this period, two different peace agreements arose; the Sodere Declaration, which was mediated by Ethiopia and supported by IGAD, and the Cairo Accord, which was brokered by Egypt. Fighting, already noticeably lessened compared to the early 1990s, decreased and the more amicable environment paved the way for the Transitional Government to be formed in 2000 (replaced in 2004 by the Transitional Federal Government).

Nonetheless, opposition to the TFG arose in the form of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which by early 2006 had taken control of most of southern Somalia until they were ousted by an armed intervention by Ethiopia in December 2006. As a result, the ICU splintered. Hard-line ICU members formed the Takfiri organization, Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, and launched a guerrilla campaign against the TFG. Another faction of the ICU fled to Djibouti and formed the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia, which was absorbed into the ruling TFG after successful negotiations in 2007.

To deal with the new round of fighting, the UN-mandated AMISOM force was deployed in 2007. Since then, insecurity has fluctuated between the urban and rural areas as the al-Shabaab's territorial gains waver. Local militia leaders maintain de facto governance over communities. From 2009 to 2012, insecurity spilled over into the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean when Somali pirates seized, looted and ransomed ships. In 2014, 'Operation Indian Ocean' was launched and in parallel with infighting among al-Shabaab, the organisation's position in Somalia has diminished slightly. However, as evidenced by large-scale attacks by al-Shabaab in northern Kenya throughout 2013-2015, the lack of security continues to destabilize the region. Al-Shabaab continues to launch surprise attacks with the aim of forcing out foreign military presence in Somalia. Targets include both military forces and civilians. The devastating attack in October 2017 in Mogadishu saw 587 fatalities and resulted in a renewed military offensive by the Somali government and African Union allies. Since 2017, the U.S. has increased its air strikes targeting al-Shabaab militants, and in December 2018 they announced to re-establish a permanent diplomatic mission in the country. Al-Shabaab has been characterized as a spoiler in the Somali peace process and have therefore been placed outside of any negotiations.
Stage: Implementation/renegotiation
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Somalia Peace Process
Parties: H.E. Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, President. of the Somali Republic and H.E. Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, the Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic
Third parties: Ali Abdullah Saleh, President of Yemen
Description: Short agreement providing provisions for reconciling differences between the heads of different state institutions and between members of parliament.

Agreement document: SO_060104_AdenDeclaration.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): Page 2, 2. That both leaders have agreed the necessity that interactive coordination among the organs of the state should be based fully on the total respect of the principles and norms of the Transitional Federal charter, in a manner characterized by constant consultations and respect to the constitutional separation of powers.
State configuration: ... Transitional Federal Institutions of the State
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: Power sharing→Territorial power sharing→Federal or similar sub-divided government
Page 3-4,

Considering and showing full response to the relentless efforts of H.E.AJi Abdalla Salah,the President of Republic of Yemen to enure the settlement
of divergences which have existed among the Transitional Federal
Institutions of the State;

have agreed to issue this declaration, with the following provisions:

I . That both leaders have reached to start a new page and end their differences, which have brought serious damage to the discharge of the duties and responsibilities of the institutions, in an spirit of cooperation on which the Somali people were pinning their highest hopes.
2. That both leaders have agreed the necessity that interactive coordination among the organs of the state should be based fully on the total respect of the principles and norms of the Transitional Federal Charter, in a manner characterized by constant consultations and respect to the constitutional separation of powers.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: Page 2, They also appeal to tho International Community to extend an emergency aid to areas and regions of Somalia which are now suffering from severe drought.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: Page 2, They also appeal to tho International Community to extend an emergency aid to areas and regions of Somalia which are now suffering from severe drought.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: Security sector→DDR→Demilitarisation provisions
Page 2, The President of the Somali Republic and the Speaker of the Parliament of the TFP, address jointly a vibrant appeal to the Somali people to contribute towards the implementation of self-disarmament, putting to an end to their conflicts and differences using all peaceful means of mutual respect and dialogue.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: Page 2, have agreed to issues this declaration with the following provisions:
1. That both leaders have reached to start a new page and end their differences, which have brought serious damage to the discharge of the duties and responsibilities of the institutions, in an spirit of cooperation on which the Somali people were pinning their highest hopes.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: Page 1, preamble, Deeply behaving in the pursuance of the dialogue started under the auspices of H.E. Ali Abdalla Saleh the President of the Republic of Yemen with the view of reconciling and solving the differences of opinion among the members of the institutions of the State.

Page 2, The President of the Somali Republic and the Speaker of the Parliament of the TFP, address jointly a vibrant appeal to the Somali people to contribute towards the implementation of self-disarmament, putting to an end to their conflicts and differences using all peaceful means of mutual respect and dialogue.

Page 2, have agreed to issues this declaration with the following provisions:
...
4. That both leaders jointly call upon the members of the Parliament and Government to put aside their fruitless squabbles and differences, urging them to unite, placing the supreme interest of the nation above other interest, while appealing to them, for their full cooperation in fulfilling the provisions of this declaration.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: UN Peacemaker - http://peacemaker.un.org/; http://peacemaker.un.org/sites/peacemaker.un.org/files/SO_060104_AdenDeclaration.pdf

United Nations s/2006/14 SecurityCouncil Distr.:

General

11 January 2006 Original:

English

Letter dated 9 January 2006 from the Charge d’affaires a.i.

of the Permanent Mission of Somalia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

I have the honour to forward herewith the text of an agreement, known as the Aden Declaration, signed by Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, President of the Somali Republic, and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament, under the wise leadership of Ali Abdalla Salah, President of the Republic ofYemen, in Aden, Yemen, on 5 January 2006 (see annex).

The agreement is the culmination of three-day discussions between the leadership of the Transitional Federal Institutions, intended to resolve the difference of opinion among the members of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia and, in particular, to find ways to reconvene sessions of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia.

I should be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the Security Council.

(Signed) Idd Beddel Mohamed Charge d’affaires a.i.

Deputy Permanent Representative

Annex to the letter dated 9January 2006 from the Charge d’affaires a.i.

of the Permanent Mission of Somalia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

WEN DECLARATION,

Under tho blcssing invitntion of H.B.Ali Abdalla SalahJresident o f the Republic of Ye1nen.a dialougue hook plwe between H.B.Abdullahi Yusuf Ahned ,Presidentofthe SomaliRepubllc and H.E.SharlfHasaan Sheikh Aden ,the Speaker of h e Trensitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic , they held direct talks end dialogue which took place in Adan

,Yemen, &om the second up to fourth Janualy 2006:

The President of the Federal Republic of Somnlia H.E.Abdul1ahi YuRuf Ahmed and the Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Sumalia H.E.SharifHassan Sheikh Aden:

Conscious ofthe primary importnnce ofthe nmtional inkreal of the Somali people over m y other issue;

Dscply behavjng in the pursutmco of h e dialogue started under the auspices ofH.E.hli Abdalla Snlnh the President ofthe Republic of Yemen with the view of rcconciling and solving the diffmences of opinion among the membersof:

he institutions ofthe State;

Guided by the provisionsof the Transitional Federal Charter ofthe Republic ofSomalia;

Believing that all sacrifices and unlimited sfforts should further be made to rcstore security and stability in Somalia;

Consideringandshowingfull reiponae to the relentless etyortsofli,~..%li AbdallR Saiah,the President ofRepublie ofYemen to ensure the settlemant

of all divergences which have existed among the Transitional Federal Institutionsof the State ;

have agreed to issue this declaration, with the following provisions :

1. That both leader8 have reached to start a new page and end their differences, which have brought serlous damage to the discharge of the duties and responsibilities of the institutions, in an spirit of cooperation on which the Soindi people were rpinning their highest hopes. .

That both leaders have agreed the necessity that interactive coordination among the organs of the state should be based fully on the total twpect of the principles nnd norms of the Transitional Fedorl charter, in a m m e t characterized by constant causulhtions and respect to the constitutional separation o f powers.

That the Transitional Federal Parliament should be celled upon for an official session that shall be held within 30 days froin today, inside the country in a venue to be agreed upon.

ThatbothleadersjointlycalluponthcmeinbcrsoftheParlismentand Government to put aside their fruitless squabbles and differences, urging them to unite, placing the supreme interest of the nation above other interesb, while appeding to them,for their full cooperation in fulffflig the provisions ofthis declaration.

Thnt die International Community fully suppurts the effoortu to oonveno tb.e first ordinary.sesaion ofthe Pmliament to be held inside t h e country.

ThePresident of theSomali Rapublic and the Speeker of the Parliament of the TFP, addresx jointly a vibrant *peal to the Somali people to contribute Uwards the itnpleinentation of self-disarmament, putting to an end to their conflicts and differences using all peaceful means of mutual respect and dialogue.

They also appeal to tho International Community to extend an emergency aid to weas and regions of Somalia which are now suffering from sevem drought.

S/2006/14

The President of the Republic of Somalis and the Speater of the WP, joinrly address, on behalf of the Somali people, ASPthanks.and gratitudeto H.E.AU Abdrllr Salnh for the brotherly role he has displayed in a sincerely effort to solve the protracting crises that the Soniali people had been

oonf%on.tedwith.

The Speakerofthe TFP

ofthe Somali Republic H.E.Sharif H a s y Sheikh.

Aden

The President of the Somali Republic H.EAbdullahi Yusuf Ahmed

DoneinAden,onS* Janumy2006;

at the 2Znd May F’res$dential Palace.

Men,Republio of Yemen.