Communique Issued by the Meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Somalia

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Country/entity: Somalia
Region: Africa (excl MENA)
Agreement name: Communique Issued by the Meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Somalia
Date: 22 Jun 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: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government
Peace process: Somalia Peace Process
Parties: President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed of the Somali Republic; ministers and representatives of the member States of the League of Arab States; and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States;

The Somali Government and the Islamic Courts Union
Third parties: Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir of the Republic of the Sudan
Description: Committee hosted dialogue session with TFG and the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), agreeing on following principles: the legitimacy of the current Somali Transitional Govt, to recognize the ICU, to continue dialogue and talks without preconditions, to explore dialogue on security and political issues and examine the possibility of forming technical committees to discuss and make proposals on such issues. Committee appealed to the intl community to provide rapid assistance.

Agreement document: SO_060622_CommuniquéMeetingMinisterialCommitteeOnSomalia.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 1, untitled preamble, ... the two parties, who affirmed their determination to achieve a settlement that preserves Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity and enables Somalis to rebuild State institutions and start the reconstruction process.
State configuration: Page 1, Art. 1. To recognize the legitimacy of the current Somali Transitional Government;
Art. 2. To recognize the Islamic Courts Union;
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: No specific mention.
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: Rights related issues→Media and communication→Media roles
Page 1, Art. 5. To remain committed to the cessation of media and military campaigns;
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: 4. parties agree to bring war criminals to justice
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: Socio-economic reconstruction→Development or socio-economic reconstruction→Socio-economic development
Page 1, untitled preamble, ... the two parties, who affirmed their determination to achieve a settlement that preserves Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity and enables Somalis to rebuild State institutions and start the reconstruction process.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: Page 2, The Committee appealed to the international community to provide rapid assistance to the Somali people and affirmed the determination of Arab States to contribute effectively to the restoration of security and stability, participate in the reconstruction efforts and call for the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance.
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: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: 7. parties to examine possibility of forming technical committees to discuss and make proposals on security and political issues.

Page 2, The Committee appealed to the international community to provide rapid assistance to the Somali people and affirmed the determination of Arab States to contribute effectively to the restoration of security and stability, participate in the reconstruction efforts and call for the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance.
Ceasefire: Security sector→Ceasefire→General commitments
Page 1, Art. 5. To remain committed to the cessation of media and military campaigns;
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
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: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: Transitional justice→Courts→National courts
Page 1, Art. 4. To bring war criminals to justice;
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, Art. 3. To continue dialogue and talks without preconditions in a framework of mutual recognition;

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: 7. parties to examine possibility of forming technical committees to discuss and make proposals on security and political issues.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: UN Peacemaker - http://peacemaker.un.org/; http://peacemaker.un.org/sites/peacemaker.un.org/files/SO_060622_Communiqu%C3%A9MeetingMinisterialCommitteeOnSomalia.pdf

Etpu

United Nations

S/2006/442 Original:

English

Security Council Distr.:

General 29 June 2006

Letter dated 28 June 2006 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i.

for the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the

United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

I have the honour to transmit herewith the communiqué regarding Somalia issued by the meeting of the Ministerial Committee regarding Somalia, held at Khartoum on 22 June 2006 (see annex).

I would be grateful if the present letter and its annex could be circulated as a document of the Security Council, in accordance with article 54 of the Charter of the United Nations.

06-41275 (E) 030706 030706

*0641275*

(Signed) Salma Elfeki Chargé d’affaires a.i.

S/2006/442

06-41275

Annex to the letter dated 28 June 2006 from the Chargé d’affaires a.i.

for the Permanent Observer of the League of Arab States to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council

[Original:

Arabic]

In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Communiqué issued by the meeting of the Ministerial Committee on Somalia Khartoum, 22 June 2006

In the context of implementing resolution No.

345 on support for Somalia, adopted on 29 March 2006 at the Summit of the League of Arab States in Khartoum, and at the initiative and kind invitation of the President of the Republic of the Sudan, Chairman of the current session of the Summit-level Council of the League of Arab States, the Ministerial Committee of the League of Arab States tasked with following up the situation in Somalia met under the chairmanship of President Omer Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir of the Republic of the Sudan.

President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed of the Somali Republic and the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States attended the meeting, in which ministers and representatives of the member States participated.

The Committee conducted intensive consultations with the Somali Government and the Islamic Courts Union, leading to agreement concerning a number of elements that can be built on in order to create common ground.

Under the auspices of the Ministerial Committee on Somalia and with its participation, the first dialogue session was held between the two parties, who affirmed their determination to achieve a settlement that preserves Somalia’s unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity and enables Somalis to rebuild State institutions and start the reconstruction process.

In that regard, the following principles were agreed:

To recognize the legitimacy of the current Somali Transitional Government;

To recognize the Islamic Courts Union;

To continue dialogue and talks without preconditions in a framework of mutual recognition;

To bring war criminals to justice;

To remain committed to the cessation of media and military campaigns;

To issue a joint call for peace;

To place dialogue on pending security and political issues on the agenda of forthcoming sessions and examine the possibility of forming technical committees to discuss and make proposals on such issues.

It was agreed that the next round of talks should continue in Khartoum on 15 July 2006.

The Committee appealed to the international community to provide rapid assistance to the Somali people and affirmed the determination of Arab States to contribute effectively to the restoration of security and stability, participate in the reconstruction efforts and call for the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance.

The Committee thanked the Republic of the Sudan for its initiative in convening the Committee on Somalia and for hosting its meetings.

S/2006/442

06-41275