Mogadishu (AX) – Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, orchestrated a pivotal assembly on Wednesday, drawing together an impressive tapestry of talent that included roughly 60 officials and experts. These participants hailed from various corners of the Federal Government, the United Nations Transition Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), and multiple UN agencies dedicated to Somalia’s future. This mosaic of minds congregated with a purpose—to forge a strategic path for the gradual handover of duties from the UNTMIS to Somalia’s Federal Government and relevant UN entities, launching the beginning of this monumental transition.
Minister Fiqi, a man whose words seldom miss their mark, lauded the UN mission for its unwavering support in the state-building and stabilization endeavors of Somalia. One couldn’t help but sense the pride in his voice as he recounted the strides that have been taken across numerous vital sectors. “There is progress,” he seemed to assert without saying it outright, “and a tapestry of hope slowly unfurls before us.”
Yet, transitions of such magnitude are fraught with complexities. Who could overlook the intricacies and labyrinthine pathways that lay ahead? The Minister beseeched all stakeholders to navigate this transitional course with pragmatism and precision, ensuring that it is as smooth, structured, and seamless as humanly possible.
“Upon the completion of this anticipatory two-year transition period,” Fiqi announced, hinting at visions yet unseen, “the myriad UN entities functioning within Somalia will not be working in isolation. Instead, they will be harmoniously aligning their programs and initiatives with Somalia’s National Transformation Plan (NTP).” It seems both a nod to coherence and a plea for a strategic approach, underscoring an ambition that transcends mere survival to dream of a flourishing nation.
The resonance of shared vision was marked by Ambassador James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, who stood alongside Minister Fiqi in acknowledging the grit and mettle of those involved in crafting this transition plan. Think of it as a tapestry being woven with threads of dedication and professionalism. This intricately planned blueprint is eagerly anticipated by many, destined to make its grand appearance before the United Nations Security Council by March 2025. One wonders, could this be the dawning of a new Somali era?
This assembly was not just a meeting of minds but a juncture of history, philosophy, and futures unwritten. As Minister Fiqi and Ambassador Swan addressed the assembly, it was as if they were planting seeds in the fertile grounds of Somalia’s destiny, hoping to yield a bountiful harvest of peace, stability, and prosperity.
“We are not makers of history. We are made by history,” Martin Luther King Jr. once said. Such sentiments linger in rooms like these, where the weight of present decisions carries echoes of past struggles and whispers of future potential.
Indeed, the roadmap developed in this high-level discussion serves as more than just a plan; it symbolizes the collective dreams of a populous that yearns for stability and a reliable shift towards self-governance. But dreams, like maps, need paths—painstakingly charted and thoughtfully traversed.
For some, the monotonous shuffle of papers and analytical discourse might have seemed like any other bureaucratic conference room scene. But at its core, this was a deeply human endeavor—an entity composed of ambitions, fears, and aspirations, all uniquely human in their imperfections yet shared communally in their desires for a better, brighter Somalia.
And so, under Mogadishu’s sunlit skies, this assembly of souls disbanded, each carrying with them the shared responsibility of imagination turned into real-world promises, set to pioneer change not just in policy but in the lived experiences of Somalia’s citizens.
One journal entry from early 2023 captures the essence perfectly: “We watched—full of optimism—as leaders charted unknown paths, arms outstretched towards tomorrow.” Might we all look back and remark, “That was indeed the dawn of change?”
Report By Ali Musa
Axadle Times International–Monitoring
