

Zimbabwe: Press Statement by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Hon. M. Ncube, On the Setting Up of a Foreign Currency Allocation Committee (04.01.2019)







The Secretary-General remains strongly committed to assisting Somalia in its efforts to achieve peace, stability and prosperity for all.
NEW YORK, United States of America, January 4, 2019 – The Secretary-General deeply regrets the decision of the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia to declare the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM), Nicholas Haysom, persona non grata.
The Secretary-General has full confidence in Mr. Haysom, an experienced and respected international civil servant who has distinguished himself in numerous senior leadership roles, in the field and at UN Headquarters.
The doctrine of persona non grata does not apply to, or in respect of, United Nations personnel. As described in the 1961 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the doctrine applies to diplomatic agents who are accredited by one State to another in the context of their bilateral relations. The United Nations is not a State and its personnel are not accredited to the States where they are deployed, but work under the sole responsibility of the Secretary-General.
At the same time the Secretary-General is totally committed to ensuring that the needs of the Somali people are at the forefront of the work of the United Nations in Somalia. UNSOM needs to be able to carry out in the most effective manner its mandate to support the country. Therefore, he intends to appoint in due course a new Special Representative for Somalia and Head of UNSOM.
The Secretary-General remains strongly committed to assisting Somalia in its efforts to achieve peace, stability and prosperity for all.





Nicholas Haysom commended the Office of the Prime Minister “for leading Government efforts to tackle corruption”, and praised improvements in public financial management.
NEW YORK, United States of America, January 4, 2019 – Somali Government efforts to build a lasting peace through political reform and transformation have progressed along a “positive trajectory” but everyone involved in the process needs to “pull in the same direction”, the UN Special Representative in the country told the Security Council on Thursday.
Nicholas Haysom commended the Office of the Prime Minister “for leading Government efforts to tackle corruption”, and praised improvements in public financial management which had led to a recorded surplus of $8 million last September.
But turning to Somalia’s complex “Roadmap on Inclusive Politics” reform process, he said that a “key milestone” had been missed in not meeting the December deadline for a draft new Electoral Law. Despite that, the National Independent Electoral Commission has made progress with voter registration planning, and 35 political parties have been officially registered.
“Women’s meaningful participation” in the Constitutional Review process, and other draft national agreements on justice, mineral resource-sharing, “allocation of powers and fiscal federalism” was essential, said the top UN official from South Africa, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, UNSOM.
Overshadowing progress there however, he said, was a continuing stalemate between the leaders of central Government, and Somalia’s Member States, which “continues to impede progress in defining the federal model, building institutions of state, and in the implementation of the National Security Architecture”.
There had been encouraging steps taken to “restore relations” by the President and Prime Minister, and a committee established to work with the Upper House of parliamentary representatives, Mr. Haysom told Council members.
The Special Representative noted that “politics is complex in any nation, but in one that is still establishing its norms, institutional parameters” and debating how they will work for the common good “there is a risk that complexity shifts to conflict”.
This had proved the case in the election process for South West State, where allegations of interference by the Federal Government and violence which erupted following the arrest of a candidate who was a former al-Shabaab deputy-leader, “marred the process and does not bode well for upcoming” elections, said Mr. Haysom.
He said it was regrettable that 15 people, including a regional assembly member had lost their lives, adding that the detention of the former extremist group leader, could deter others from abandoning terrorist violence, for the ballot box.
Al-Shabaab continues to be “the biggest source of insecurity in Somalia” said Mr. Haysom, welcoming the Government’s condemnation of the group’s attack on New Year’s Day against the UN’s headquarters in the Somali capital, which injured three staff members.
Thanks to the African Union’s AMISOM troops, and Government forces, conventional attacks have been largely stymied he said, with Al-Shabaab now relying on assassinations and improvised explosives, but “indiscriminate attacks” were still a constant threat.
He added that the UN had “continued to support conflict prevention and conflict resolution efforts in several parts of the country in collaboration with our partners”, said the top official.
Humanitarian needs remain high, with 4.2 million requiring assistance and protection, almost two-thirds of them children. “Around 1.5 million are severely food insecure at crisis or emergency levels. Around 2.6 million people are internally-displaced” he said.
Finally, he added, respect of human rights in the country and international humanitarian law, and the protection of civilians caught up in violence, “remains key for Somalia’s transition and sustainable peace”.
For more on this story including remarks made by the head of AMISOM, and the Somali Ambassador to the UN, go to our UN Meetings Coverage here.

As the reports of Gulf States fuelling money to the National Congress Party and President Omar Al-Bashir. The Opposition Parties has signed the Declaration of Freedom and Change. This is the 22 parties who went together and suspended their activity in the National Assembly. However, that have not stopped the resilient actions of the President.
The President have ordered the National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) to arrest, detained and take away, all activists and leaders who wants more protests. That is why they are arresting more and more people every day. They are also focused on arresting all journalists who covers the demonstrations too. While the Authorities are trying to disrupt the Social Media, blocking WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter and Internet Traffic in general. Therefore, the authorities in general are trying to black-out the public.
While the Opposition have called out, even for a military coup d’etat against the government. We don’t know if that is a good move, but that is how the President came to power and doesn’t seem that he will resign. As the demonstrations are now on the 3rd Week.
There are reports of plenty arrested today from professors, journalists and fear of activists, who has voiced discontent with the authorities. That they will be picked up, as the families of the arrested have no idea of where they are or when they will return. That is the acts of the state at this point, as they tear-gas, kills and silence demonstrations. They are using live-bullets and even use Anti-Aircraft Guns against the citizens too.
We are seeing the evil directly in the eye. We knew what sort of man, Omar Al-Bashir was, as Darfur, South Kordofan and South Sudan, has all seen his vicious attacks on humanity, his violations of international law and genocide. The crimes done against people, the oppressive acts, shall never be forgotten. Not the killings of the last two weeks, but for the career of killings done under the orders of this President.
Al-Bashir have done this, he continues to do it. Order the Security Organization to kill his own citizens. Just to stay in power. That is the man he is and shall be remembered for that. That is his legacy. Peace.
















