Restoring Stability and the Way Forward in Somalia
Excellencies, Event Organizers, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is an honor for me to address you today here at this prestigious institution. My last speech at Chattam House, in July 2009, covered a range of topics, including the political history of Somalia, the failure of the past centralized governments to deliver the required public goods to citizens across the country, and therefore the urgent need to restructure the Third Republic, and our efforts to fight against the scourge of terrorism and piracy in Somalia.
Today I would like to talk about the political direction of Somalia and our efforts to end the transition, as the TFG mandate expires on 20 August 2012. I want also to address the devastating humanitarian situation in Somalia and our own contributions aimed at ameliorating this growing crisis. In addition to that, I would like to touch on the threat of Al Shabaab terror group and piracy to our security and also its impact on regional and global stability. I will be delivering a keynote speech dedicated to piracy tomorrow at the Combating Piracy Week Conference.
Political direction Since the collapse of 1991, we have taken initiatives aimed at rebuilding trust among Somalis to forge a sense of unity and shared responsibility. Puntland played a leading role in the formation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in 2004. With the first President of Puntland being elected as the first TFG President, we have invested substantial resources and manpower to ensure the success of the TFG since its inception. On 29 August 2011, Puntland State signed a Cooperation Agreement with the TFG that builds on and strengthens earlier agreements and encourages cooperation and integration among state and federal institutions.
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