The Federal Government of Somalia has acknowledged the report of the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, but expresses his concern over numerous inaccuracies, contradictions and factual gaps and calls for proper consultation and an Adjudication Panel for all future reports.
Speaking in Mogadishu today, the Spokesman of the President, Abdirahman Omar Osman, said, “The report raises and covers a range of important issues which are worthy of the fullest consideration.
“We are grateful for the recognition of our cooperation and assistance. We have gone out of our way to ensure our commitment to openness and transparency.
“We are delighted to see an appropriate focus on the sustained and constantly evolving threat posed by Al Shabaab and other spoilers. They remain an obstinate and enduring threat that we must all work together to eradicate.
“We are pleased to see the huge reduction in piracy, and yet equally concerned by the reports of increased criminality. We have much work to do to create legitimate livelihoods and deter Somalis from crime.
“However, we regret that the UN Monitoring Group failed to consult the Government on the findings and conclusions of the report and permit our response in advance of publication.
“It is clear that the report is increasingly dependent upon gossip, guilt-by-association, and hearsay. This has resulted in the publication of an unbalanced report which permits damaging, unsubstantiated allegations to become an uncontested matter of public record.
“This overly clandestine approach fundamentally demonstrates the failure of the Monitoring Group to understand both the nature and depth of the challenge facing us, undermines the process of recovery and threatens peace and stability in Somalia.
“The Federal Government will therefore be requesting that the UN Security Council establish a mandatory pre-publication consultation period and appoint an Independent Adjudication Panel for all future Monitoring Group reports, to ensure that the government’s response and rebuttal is formally recorded and inappropriate, unsubstantiated allegations are removed.
“It is imperative to the peace process in Somalia and to the integrity of the UN that future reports are credible, accurate and balanced.
“To describe the Central Bank as a “slush fund” and the process of Fadlan (Please) as a ‘personal patronage system’ is a gross misrepresentation and an insult to the many Somalis working hard in an extremely challenging environment for the recovery and renewal of their country.
“These so-called ‘personal withdrawals’ are in fact largely proper and legitimate payments to Ministries and government personnel who have no other banking facilities available to them.
“Had the Monitors come to Mogadishu and followed the system from request to withdrawal, they would have seen for themselves how things must work whilst we attempt to implement new procedures.
“We have begun the painstaking process of rebuilding critical institutions and setting out new standards of public finance management (PFM) and we are working continuously with the IMF, World Bank and key international allies to do so.
“We are doing everything we can to improve the situation and implement new PFM mechanisms. Over the past few months:
- We have introduced a detailed Public Finance Management system and in liaison with the World Bank and IMF;
- We have completed work on the Financial Institutions Act ready for Parliament to review;
- We have published a government budget, which is to be rigidly enforced;
- We are close to finalising the Central Bank Board of Directors;
- We have been subject to the first international audit in two decades;
- With the support of International Financial Institutions, we have restored our Central Bank swift code, international accounts and an electronic payment system for first time in two decades.
“The President maintains his insistence that we have a zero tolerance of corruption, and we will make a thorough investigation into some of the allegations made in the report and will take action where necessary.
“We cannot deny that there are deep capacity limitations in the system but we are committed to accelerating our reform. Institutions are indispensible and we must enable accountable systems to establish and grow without allowing spoilers to unnecessarily undermine the steady progress we are making.”
ENDS
For further information please contact Abdirahman Omar Osman (Eng. Yarisow), –¨Senior Advisor & Spokesperson to the Office of the President, –¨engabdirahman@gmail.com +252 615 479911 or +252 699 998854
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SOMALIA CALLS FOR ADJUDICATION PANEL FOR FUTURE MONITORING GROUP REPORTS- Press statement
The Federal Government of Somalia has acknowledged the report of the UN Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, but expresses his concern over numerous inaccuracies, contradictions and factual gaps and calls for proper consultation and an Adjudicati