The event garnered only cursory coverage in the international news media, but this month’s National Consultative Forum in Mogadishu marked another significant milestone in Somalia’s long road to stability and democratic governance.
The two-day conference brought together the President and Prime Minister of the country’s federal government, the speaker and various members of the federal parliament, the presidents of existing and emerging federal member states, and leading representatives of civil society.
They gathered in the Somali capital last week to discuss the most appropriate and feasible mechanism for choosing a new federal government and parliament in 2016.
The leaders endorsed seven key principles and actions that will guide their final selection of an electoral college model in January.
The forum is laying the foundations for what promises to be Somalia’s most inclusive electoral process in nearly half-a-century.
Somalis who fled the turmoil of the past 24 years are returning in ever larger numbers as the economy starts to pick up.
A country whose coastline once teemed with lawless pirates has brought this scourge under control with the help of the international community.
And in a year marred by headline-grabbing terrorist attacks from Paris to the Sinai Peninsula, Somalia has emerged as arguably the only country where the international community’s engagement against violent extremism is yielding positive results.
While Al-Shabaab is still capable of mounting attacks against high-profile targets in Mogadishu and elsewhere, the group has been on the back foot for some time now and no longer controls any of the country’s major cities and ports — thanks to the sacrifices made by the Somali National Army and the African Union Mission in Somalia.
SOMALIA RISING
So, why is Somalia showing every sign of a nation that is turning the corner after nearly a quarter-century of anarchy and conflict?
For starters, the arduous process of rebuilding a state almost from scratch has been Somali-owned and -led from the very outset.
The endorsement of the Somali New Deal Compact at an international conference co-hosted by the country’s federal government in September 2013 established a political strategy for rescuing Somalia from its failed-state status.
The compact identified five peace- and state-building goals ranging from the promotion of legitimate and inclusive politics to the strengthening of the judiciary and the rule of law, right through to the provision of basic services. Significant progress has been made towards achieving these goals.
At the same time, the country’s rebirth has unfolded on terms and at a pace that suit its unique circumstances.
There has been no headlong rush into elections to appease international donors before Somalia is ready to carry out such an exercise.
Indeed, the mechanism for selecting the country’s next government will be an electoral college instead of a one-person, one-vote ballot, reflecting a frank recognition by Somalia’s leaders and its international partners that a conventional election is not feasible under existing security conditions.
The forging of creative partnerships within the international community is another important contributor.
In contrast to the divisions that have surfaced in its ranks over other countries, the UN Security Council acts and speaks with one voice on Somalia.
The UN, the African Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development, and the European Union work hand in hand.
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
Somalia can provide a useful model for international cooperation in future post-conflict situations as long as there is the political will to do so.
The commitment of the UN should also be acknowledged.
It is the largest international entity operating in Somalia and is improving the lives of millions of people — training teachers, helping State institutions to improve service delivery, assisting refugees to return voluntarily to the country, eradicating polio through a robust vaccination campaign, and reviving agricultural production.
Make no mistake, Somalia is not a runaway success story — at least not yet.
Much more needs to be done to promote development in rural areas that have been regained from Al-Shabaab and generate jobs for seven out of every 10 Somalis who are under the age of 35. Somalia’s infrastructure needs rebuilding.
The political process is fragile. Millions of Somalis remain dependent on humanitarian aid to meet their basic necessities, and the spectre of famine frequently darkens the country’s door.
Crises in other parts of the world are absorbing world attention as 2015 comes to a close, but this is not the time to let Somalia fall off the international community’s radar.
There are still many problems facing Somalia as we enter a new year — but they are the problems of a country coming together rather than one that is falling apart.
I urge world leaders to sustain and increase their support of Somalia.
By: Nicholas Kay
