Political Turbulence in Somalia - UN Security Council Briefing (3 January 2019)

Statement by Mr. Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia, delivered at the 8440th meeting of the Security Council on the situation in Somalia.
UN Special Representative for Somalia said the violence which erupted following the arrest of a former Al-Shabab deputy leader who was running for office in the South West State “marred the process” and may also have implications for “the likelihood of future al-Shabaab defectors who may be considering exchanging violence for a political path.”
Addressing the Security Council today (03 Jan), Nicholas Haysom said Somalia has maintained a positive trajectory but warned that continuing political turbulence could throw it off course. He said the political landscape in the country is complicated by electoral processes that are currently underway in several Federal Member State. He added, “Politics is complex in any nation, but in one that is still establishing its norms, institutional parameters, and still debating the responsibilities of its respective governance structures, there is a risk that complexity shifts to conflict.”
Haysom said allegations of interference by the Federal Government in the South West State elections and the violence which erupted following the arrest of one of the candidates, a former al-Shabaab deputy leader, “marred the process and does not bode well for upcoming electoral processes in other regions or for the 2020 national elections.” He said 15 people, including a regional assembly member were killed during the violence.
The Special Representative strongly condemned the mortar attack carried out by Al-Shabab on the UN premises that took place two days ago which left three staff members injured. He underlined that Al-Shabaab remained “the biggest source of insecurity in Somalia.” He said despite the ongoing operations to degrade the terrorist group, “it still has the capacity to conduct indiscriminate attacks on Somali citizens, and target electoral delegates, the Somali security forces and AMISOM.”
Haysom said Somalia had made economic and political progress and has “laid the foundations to make significant progress in 2019.” He said the management of the upcoming regional elections in 2019 and the remaining political processes, particularly the review of the Constitution, would determine “whether Somalia makes further progress or not.”