(Mugadishu, Tuesday 12 April 2011) The Council of Ministers had a meeting to discuss the consultative meeting that is currently underway in Nairobi. Having debated and discussed the Nairobi meeting the Council of Ministers decided the following:
The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia is disappointed with current political engagement of UN Political Office in Somalia (UNPOS). We believe that UNPOS and the International Community (IC) are collaborating with the TFG and Somalia as a whole through two mechanisms to achieve stability and reconciliation in Somalia.
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The Transitional Federal Charter (TFC). The Charter clearly stipulates that the TFG, the executive organ is responsible for the policy and the implementation of both reconciliation and foreign affairs.
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The Djibouti Peace Process equally reconfirms the TFIs are pillars of Somali unity, which are to be re-enforced by the International Community (IC) at all stages and at all times throughout the peace process.
Clearly, the current consultation meeting in Nairobi taking place 12 and 13 April 2011, was initiated and organized by UNPOS in direct opposition to the views and proposals of the TFG, which were repeatedly submitted to UNPOS and IC.
The TFG and other Somali stakeholders had no input in the preparation of the concept, content or the agenda of the Nairobi meeting. Given that, this is meant to be both consultative and a reconciliation meeting for Somalis, we believe it contravenes both the spirit, the Charter and Djibouti peace agreement.
In addition, the Somali people have demonstrated repeatedly their opposition to the meeting both internally all parts of Somalia and externally across the Diaspora.
The delegation currently participating in the Nairobi meeting led by the Speaker of the parliament has no mandate or authority from the Council of Ministers or the parliament. On the contrary, both have demonstrated publicly and privately to the Speaker their clear rejection to participate. This has included presentation of a motion signed by over 100 members of the parliament (MPs) that was presented to the Speaker, which he decided to ignore.
Given the above, this participation is contrary not only to the policy of state but could potentially damage the interest of the nation as it could lead to potential fragmentation of national institutions. We therefore, condemn this act and call upon the delegation to withdraw from its on-going participation. We also call upon the Somali people and their representatives in parliament to reject and condemn this act in equal measure.
To avoid any misunderstanding, we confirm and re-affirm that the TFG is promoting peace and reconciliation based on the interest of the nation. This is evidenced by the policy and the actions of this government of the last 100 days.
We believe these Somali achievements demonstrate our commitment to fulfilling the common objectives needed to realize the common interest of the Somali people and the IC. It is only by cohesion and unified effort within Somali stakeholders and within the collaboration of Somalis and the IC that peace process and reconciliation can defeat the common enemies of Al-Shabaab, piracy and poverty. We therefore, call upon the IC to sustain its commitment to assist the Somali people in this historic journey and to respect its sovereignty and dignity.
On our part we herby submit to the Somali people and international community the report on the progress made on the ground in Somalia for the first 100 days of our current government. We hope this meets with your approval and expectations.