Helen Clark's visit to Somalia
Original source: UN Audiovisual Library
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator Helen Clark described the country as being “at a good turning point” during her visit to the Somali capital Mogadishu on Wednesday (24 Aug).
Clark was accompanied throughout her visit by the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Peter de Clercq. She was received at Mogadishu International Airport by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia, Michael Keating, and other UN officials.
Clark spent the day in discussions with Somalia’s Federal President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke and other senior leaders of his government about the 2016 electoral process, a proposed 30 percent quota for women’s representation in parliament and the upcoming launch of the country’s first national development plan in more than 25 years.
The UNDP Administrator said she strongly backs the 30 per cent quota for female representation in both houses of the country’s next federal parliament.
She said, “UNDP is very involved in supporting the elections, and I’m very supportive of women in politics and leadership”, adding that “the elections are coming up, I feel some traction and some momentum so I go away with a positive message about what is being achieved.”
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud thanked Helen Clark for the support the UN has given to the country. He told journalists he had briefed the visiting UNDP chief about socio-political developments in the country, the challenges facing Somalia and the positive role played by UNDP in helping to transform the country.
He said, “We now have the first National Development Plan since the early Eighties. We are going to hold elections and the UNDP is playing a major role in all these activities.”
President Hassan Sheikh also said, “Today politics in Somalia are discussed in places far away from Mogadishu. Every day we are increasing the number of citizens participating in the political processes. We feel we are getting closer to the final destination, which is a one person, one vote (election) in 2020.”
The UNDP chief later met with members of civil society organizations, officials of the federal Ministry of Women and Human Rights Development, and UN personnel.
Representatives of Somali civil society organizations expressed concern that the 30 percent quota may not be achieved in the forthcoming electoral process. They included a group of goodwill ambassadors appointed by the President to advocate in favour of greater gender representation in the legislative branch of government.