UN envoy to African Union wraps up first visit to Somalia

Mogadishu (AMISOM) – Wrapping up her first visit to Somalia, a senior United Nations official charged with the world body’s relations with the African Union (AU) on Thursday highlighted the “unique situation” Somalia finds itself in regard to its efforts to improve security and state-building ongoing in the country.

UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the African Union, Ms Hanna Tetteh, who also serves as the Head of the UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU), was on a three-day visit to Somalia’s capital Mogadishu.

The visiting UN official met the heads of UNSOS and UNSOM – Lisa Filipetto and James Swan, respectively and also held meetings with Somalia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Isse Awad, and the Speaker of the House of the People, Mohamed Mursal Sheikh Abdirahman.

She also met the head of Hirshabelle state, President Mohamed Abdi Waare, members of his cabinet and the deputy speakers of parliament during a visit to that Federal Member State’s capital, Jowhar, yesterday.

Ms. Tetteh also held meetings with AMISOM’s leadership, including the AU Commission Chairperson’s Special Representative, Ambassador Francisco Madeira, as well as ambassadors representing the countries that contribute troops to AMISOM.

Of particular note for the visiting UN official was her meeting in the country’s capital with female members of parliament – a role she could relate to in light of her experience as a parliamentarian in her native Ghana, and which she described as an “eye-opening session” after hearing about the challenges they face.

“Across the African continent there is inadequate representation of women at all levels of government, but most especially in the legislature, where participation depends on being successful in an election and given the fact that a majority of the Somali population are women – indeed it is hoped that as they discuss legislative reform, there will be great opportunities for Somali women to participate in the governance process, to participate in the state-building process, and to help build the future that the country see’s for itself.”

MS Hana Teteh

In April 2017, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and AU Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat signed a framework agreement for cooperation and partnership on peace and security. Essentially, the agreement committed the UN and AU to work together to address the continent’s peace and security challenges,