MOGADISHU, Somalia – The United Nations has promised to work closely with Somalia, a country that has fought conflicts between the clans and the Al-Shabaab threat, just as the global agency is celebrating its 75th anniversary and when Somalia is eager to hold credible elections that unite all stakeholders.
For the past 60 years, Somalia has been a member of the United Nations and remains one of the largest recipients of disaster management and many disasters that have badly affected the nation. Somalia plunged into civil war in the 1990s following the eradication of Siad Barre’s military regime.
James Swan, the UN envoy to Somalia, said the global agency will continue to help through bodies such as the World Food Program, the World Health Organization and many more as they try to reach vulnerable people. In addition to conflicts, Somalia is prone to disasters such as floods.
But it is the conflict that continues to plague the UN, which is now calling for the creation of international laws that will help slow down the end of the war. The Agency is also keen to ensure efficiency and economic prudence as the country enters a crucial phase that will define future relations with members of the international community.
“In Somalia and elsewhere, millions of people are being helped every day by UN agencies such as the World Health Organization, the World Food Program, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the United Nations Development Program. Said Swan in a statement.
“The UN supports the creation of international laws and norms, helps prevent and resolve conflicts, builds peace and promotes reconciliation, and offers practical support to governments on a wide range of issues – from tackling corruption to empowering the disabled. Its work is both visible and intangible, ”he added.
For many years, the Global Agency has been working in Somalia through the formation of critical bodies to help assist the people. For example, the United Nations Mission Assistance in Somalia has been coordinating most of the agency’s activities in the war-torn nation for decades.
Currently, there are 27 UN agencies, foundations and programs that support Somalis’ efforts on their path to peace and stability. President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo’s regime has been a major recipient of UN support, ranging from humanitarian to debt relief negotiations among other development issues.
“Somalia and the UN have a long partnership that goes back decades when the UN went shoulder to shoulder with Somalis about the formation of their country and the road to independence in 1960. In the years since, the UN family has worked with Somalis in a number of areas, from humanitarian work and development work for political support and peace-building, ”he said.
“Currently in addition to the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia [UNSOM] and the United Nations Support Office for Somalia [UNSOS], there are 27 UN agencies, foundations and programs that support the efforts of Somalis on their path to peace and stability. “
He urged young people to work with the UN by engaging in the conversation as the body celebrates its anniversary in the coming months. Somalia is also involved in talks with Somaliland, a region that withdrew in 1991 after years of atrocities constructed by the Siad Barre administration.
“For UN75 discussions to be meaningful, young people in particular need to be at the forefront. Somali youth play a key role, as Somalia has one of the youngest populations in the world – about 60 percent of the country’s estimated population of 15.9 million people is below 30 years. “
AXADLETM
