Mogadishu, 8 October 2021 — As Somalia continued with electoral preparations, the month of September saw a round of United Nations-backed training completed for Somali journalists on reporting on elections and the importance of women taking part in the country’s political life. The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) provided support to a range of media associations around the country — including the Federation of Somali Journalists (FESOJ), the Somali South West Journalists Association (SOWEJA) and Women in Media Initiative Somalia (WIMISOM) — for the intensive training of some 180 journalists. “The role of the media is important at any point in time in the public life of a country, but when elections are being prepared and held, that role takes on an added extra weight and significance,” said UNSOM’s Chief of Strategic Communications and Public Affairs Group, Ari Gaitanis, via video call to the training which first took place in the capital, Mogadishu. He added that the United Nations in Somalia hoped the series of training courses would support Somali journalists in gaining knowledge of elections reporting and in highlighting women’s political participation during this crucial electoral period, especially the importance of achieving the minimum 30 per cent quota for women’s parliamentary representation. The training sessions took place over three weeks, from 5-29 September, in Mogadishu and various cities of the Federal Member States (FMS), including Baidoa‎, Dhusamareb, Garowe and Kismayo. With training from seasoned media experts, the journalists gained knowledge and expanded their understanding on election reporting and election-related human rights violations, safety of journalists and countering misinformation, journalists’ key roles in advocating and championing for women’s political participation, and intensifying media coverage for women candidates or political aspirants in the ongoing 2021 elections. Participants’ views The trainings’ attendees included women and men, and representatives from television, radio, print and online news outlets. “I gained enormous knowledge in many aspects relating to my career and learned different elections reporting perspectives that can help in intensifying media coverage for women candidates,” said Fardowsa Mohamed Sahal, a Kulmiye Radio correspondent, who participated in a FESOJ-organized training in Mogadishu. In a similar vein, Maryan Sheikh Abdi, a freelance radio correspondent based in Jowhar, expressed her satisfaction with the training, claiming that it will contribute not only to better coverage of elections but also of community issues in general. She took part in the training in Jowhar. “We have been given much-needed knowledge that reflects the current situation in the country. Today, I can say that I can confidently contribute to the realization of the quota for Somali women in the parliamentary elections,” the freelance journalist said. Another participant of the training in Jowhar, Abdullahi Ilaaji, a Radio Asal reporter, said he had learned how to report on elections and broadcasting programmes that focus on the impact that women’s quotas can have on participation. “I cannot wait to return to my radio station to fast-track these programmes on women's political participation,” he said. For some participants, understanding the nexus between Somali women and politics came before reporting on women’s parliamentary quotas. "First, journalists should get a better understanding on women issues, women empowerment and women’s political participation,” said Sakariye Nur Farah, a Goobjoog TV reporter in Garowe. “Before we begin our campaign to support women, we should persuade ourselves and do the best job we can in helping our sisters get equal representation." Echoing her colleagues’ sentiments, Hamdi Mahad Yasin, a producer with Radio Wamo in Kismayo, said that she could use the knowledge and skills she gained from the training to report on women’s political participation and elections in a professional manner. She noted that, after the training, she would diversify the format of her programmes. “I can now produce drama, news features, debates and discussions featuring women’s political participation and also the 30 per cent quota,” the journalist said. Rodo Hasan Abdi, a reporter from Radio Barawe who travelled from Barawe to Baidoa to take part in the training, voiced her optimism and satisfaction too: "We’ve had three days of tons of knowledge and understanding.” The training came at the right time, too, according to KGS TV journalist Shukri Mohamed Abdi in Baidoa, who said that it was the first time she participated in such an initiative. “I have asked myself several times when we would be receiving special training for women's political rights, which had never been done,” she said. In Dhusamareb, a participant from Radio Dhusamareb, Hafsa Khalif, enjoyed the practical exercises that, she said, will help her and her team produce quality programmes. “This training has advanced both my professionalism and my personality,” she said. “This training has created hope.” Government attendance The training sessions drew high-level representation in most of the cities they were held in. At the end of the training in Garowe, Puntland’s Deputy Minister of Women Development and Family Affairs, Sahra Abdi Hersi, encouraged the participating journalists to give voice to women candidates and political aspirants through their work. "Independent and competent media are instrumental for good governance and development. Giving voice to the voiceless is very important during this election time and beyond,” Ms. Hersi said. During the closing session in Kismayo, a representative of Goodwill Ambassadors for the minimum 30 per cent quota in Jubaland, Sahur Yusuf Baynax, said that journalists and activists — as well as all members of Somali society — have a role in ensuring that the quota is achieved. He asked the media to transfer to their communities the lessons they had learned during their sessions, and to help educated Somali women achieve the quota. At the Kismayo session, the Director-General of Jubaland’s Ministry of Information, Abdishukri Arab Omar, expressed his appreciation of FESOJ’s efforts in building the capacity of Somali journalists, particularly those of Jubaland. He pointed out that the quality of journalism in the southern Federal Member State had improved. “I feel that you have learned a lot from this training, I urge you to put into practice the knowledge you have learned during these three days. The effort brought to us by FESOJ-UNSOM comes at a key time of campaigning for the 30 per cent women quota,” Jubaland’s Minister of Information, Suleiman Mohamud Mohamed, said at the same event. In Galmudug, Bashir Mohamed Salad, a spokesperson for Dhusamareb local government, said the FESOJ-led training had helped empower journalists in Galmudug, and expressed the hope that more such training would take place. Media development The United Nations supports media development in Somalia through its work with various media associations. According to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), media freedom and access to information feed into the wider development objective of empowering people, and empowerment is a multi-dimensional social and political process that helps people gain control over their own lives.  UNESCO goes on to state that this can only be achieved through access to accurate, fair and unbiased information, representing a plurality of opinions, and the means to actively communicate vertically and horizontally, thereby participating in the active life of the community.

Kismayo — A delegation made up of some of Somalia’s partners was in Jubaland today with the aim of reaffirming the international community’s collective support for the country’s elections and to discuss the next steps in the process. “In our discussion with the President and members of his cabinet, we commended Jubaland for being the first Federal Member State to start holding Upper House elections, and emphasized the need for the election of the remaining Upper House seats to be completed quickly,” the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, said. “This will allow the electoral focus to shift towards the next phase of the federal elections — those for the House of the People,” he added in media remarks delivered in Jubaland’s interim capital, Kismayo, following the group’s meeting with President Ahmed Mohamed Islam ‘Madobe’ and his team.   The top UN official was speaking on behalf of a delegation made up of the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ambassador Francisco Madeira; the European Union’s Ambassador Tiina Intelmann; the Political Counsellor of the Embassy of Norway, Merete Dyrud; and the Peace and Reconciliation Advisor from the Embassy of Sweden, Johan Svensson. In their remarks, the visiting delegation encouraged Jubaland’s leader and State Electoral Implementation Team (SEIT) to speed up the electoral process by convening the  delegate selection committees comprising elders and civil society representatives, and by preparing polling stations in both Kismayo and Garbaharey, the capital of Jubaland’s Gedo region. While in Kismayo, the delegation met with the Jubaland SEIT chairperson, Siyad Mohamed Mursal, and visited a site used as a polling centre for the Upper House elections and which is also expected to be used for the House of the People vote.   Participation and political space In their meetings, the delegation also emphasized that the electoral processes must respect the right of women to participate fully in all aspects of public life, and that the minimum quota of 30 per cent women’s representation should be achieved in Parliament. “In addition, it is vital to ensure political space is protected for all Somalis,” the UN Special Representative added. “This includes freedom of expression, media access, freedom of organization and assembly — all to ensure an electoral process that is credible and transparent.” The delegation also encouraged the President to deepen efforts, following the election, to engage all stakeholders in Jubaland with a view to achieving lasting reconciliation. “This will help ensure political cohesion so that the focus can turn to other critical priorities in the areas of  development and security, including the fight against Al-Shabaab, which continues to pose a grave threat to peace and stability in Somalia,” Mr. Swan noted. The visit to Kismayo was the latest round of regular contact by representatives of Somalia’s international partners with the leaders of Somalia’s Federal Member States. A delegation had visited Puntland last week.  

Garowe - Continuing their regular contact with the leaders of Somalia’s Federal Member States, representatives of some of the country’s international partners today visited Puntland to discuss a range of issues, with a particular focus on upcoming local and federal elections.  “On the local elections, we were heartened to learn about the progress made so far, particularly that the work of the Transitional Puntland Electoral Commission (TPEC) is advancing,” the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, said in media remarks. The UN official was speaking on behalf of the visiting delegation after it had met with Puntland’s President Said Abdullahi Deni and members of his cabinet. The delegation’s other members were the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Ambassador Francisco Madeira; the European Union Ambassador to Somalia, Tiina Intelmann; and the Ambassador of Sweden to Somalia, Per Lindgarde. In addition to meeting with Puntland’s leader, the delegation also met with the Chairperson of Puntland’s State Electoral Implementation Team (SEIT), Abdikarim Muse Mohamud, and other members of the electoral body, as well as representatives of the Federal Member State’s civil society. Elections Puntland is due to hold the first of its direct, local elections – in Eyl, Ufeyn and Qardho – on 25 October. The delegation commended the TPEC, the government and people of Puntland for their commitment to holding direct elections, as enshrined in Puntland’s Constitution. 
“If completed successfully, these direct local elections would be an important step in showing the feasibility of ‘one person, one vote’ elections in today’s Somalia,” Mr. Swan said. On the matter of federal elections, the delegation welcomed Puntland’s recent completion of the federal Upper House elections and discussed the urgent need for moving on to the next stage of the federal elections, for the House of the People.  Referring to recent tensions, the delegation also shared the international community’s concern about the risks that ongoing political disputes between national leaders may pose to the process.  “President Deni and our delegation agreed that Somalia’s leaders must continue to work together, in a spirit of national unity, to overcome differences,” Mr. Swan said. “We urge all to move forward to deliver on their commitments to hold credible national elections on time and in accordance with the 27 May Agreement.” Women’s participation Somalia’s international partners have frequently noted how the country’s parliamentary elections are an opportunity to build on the progress made in women’s political participation and that women’s full inclusion in all sectors of society will contribute to greater resilience, peace and stability in the Horn of Africa country.  In his remarks, the UN Special Representative highlighted the importance of women’s participation in the electoral processes, both local and national.  “It is vital that these processes respect the right of women to participate fully in all aspects of public life, and that the minimum quota of 30 per cent women’s representation is achieved in the House of the People elections,” Mr. Swan said. He added that the delegation had also emphasized the importance of ensuring the country’s political space remains open, allowing for a diversity of voices and views to be expressed. “It is especially important to ensure political space for all – through freedom of expression, media access, freedom of organization and assembly – so that all voices may be heard and count,” Mr. Swan said. Earlier this month, a delegation of international partners visited Baidoa, in South West State, as part of their ongoing cooperation with the country’s Federal Member State leaders, aimed at supporting Somalia on its path to greater stability.   Link to the original story.

A delegation of Somalia’s international partners today visited South West State to meet with its president, electoral authority and civil society on the country’s upcoming elections for the House of the People, and reaffirmed their support for the holding of a credible electoral process. “Our discussion with the President and his team focused on how a free, fair and credible election will be accomplished in South West State. There was agreement in our discussions that such an electoral process is a strong foundation for the legitimacy of any government, and I am pleased to state that the President underscored his commitment to ensuring a credible and transparent process,” the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, James Swan, said in remarks to the media in Baidoa, the capital of South West State. “The credibility of an election cannot be judged on the day of voting alone, of course. The process leading up to polling day itself is equally important,” he added. “In this regard, there was also agreement on the importance of ensuring that the political space is open to all voices, and that freedom of speech and organization is a key requirement in this respect.” Mr. Swan was speaking at a joint media encounter alongside South West State’s President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed ‘Laftagareen,’ and on behalf of a delegation of Somalia’s international partners. Joining Mr. Swan on the visit to the Federal Member State’s capital were the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Ambassador Francisco Madeira; the European Union Ambassador to Somalia, Tiina Intelmann; and the Chargé d’affaires of the Embassy of Norway, Haakon Svane. While there, in addition to consulting with the South West State administration, the delegation also meet with the Chairperson of the South West State’s State Elections Implementation Team (SEIT), Yussuf Abdulkadir Mohamed, and other members of the electoral body. They visited the SEIT’s offices as well as three of the planned voting sites for the upcoming House of the People elections, in addition to meeting with representatives of local civil society organizations. Elections progress Speaking on behalf of the visiting international partners, Mr. Swan noted that South West State has made commendable progress with electoral preparations, with it being one of only two Federal Member States to have successfully completed elections for the Upper House within the agreed timeline.  “This is very encouraging, and we hope to see similar advances with preparations for the House of the People elections,” Mr. Swan said. Currently, some parts of Somalia are holding elections for its Upper House, and the country is also preparing for elections for its Lower House, known as the House of the People. The United Nations and Somalia’s other international partners have been heavily engaged in supporting national efforts to advance the country’s elections. “Somalia’s international partners remain committed to supporting South West State in the pursuit of a credible electoral process, as well as in furthering the shared goal of building together a better future for all the people of South West State,” the UN Special Representative said. South West State security The UN Special Representative noted that President Abdiaziz briefed the delegation on the security situation in South West State and the challenges his administration faces. “We have taken note of Al-Shabaab’s continued efforts to blockade key locations across South West State’s regions and remain deeply concerned by this,” Mr. Swan said on the topic. He also said the delegation commended the efforts of the South West State security forces, the Somali National Army and the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) in countering the threat posed by the extremists, adding that the sacrifices made by these forces in the fight against Al-Shabaab “shall never be forgotten.” National tensions On the current tensions that have affected Somalia’s national leadership, the UN Special Representative commended the South West State leader for his efforts to mediate between President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed ‘Farmajo’ and Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble. “We sincerely hope that his efforts, and those of other Federal Member State leaders and other mediators, will help resolve any remaining differences,” Mr. Swan said. “The need for dialogue, goodwill and putting the needs of all Somalis first and foremost is especially important now to allow Somalia to continue on its path of stability and reform.” Close to two dozen of Somalia’s international partners issued a joint statement earlier in September in which they urged Somali leaders to de-escalate tensions and work together to advance the implementation of the 27 May Agreement toward the holding of elections. 30 per cent women’s quota
The issue of ensuring that the minimum of 30 per cent women’s quota for parliamentary representation is met in the elections was also highlighted. Mr. Swan noted how the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina J. Mohammed, had recently visited Somalia to emphasize this point and how President Abdiaziz had taken part in a meeting with her when this topic was discussed. He echoed the Deputy Secretary-General’s comments that the country’s parliamentary elections are an opportunity to build on the progress made in women’s political participation and that women’s full inclusion in all sectors of society will contribute to greater resilience, peace and stability in the Horn of Africa country.  “This issue of women’s participation remains a vital one for Somalia – not just for the elections, but in the wider sense of being important step to full representation and an inclusive society,” Mr. Swan noted. Today’s visit follows consultations earlier this week in Mogadishu between President Ahmed Abdi Karie ‘Qoorqoor’ of Galmudug and international partners. The UN Special Representative said international partners expected to have more consultations with the leaders of the other Federal Member States in weeks to come after the visit.