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The UN Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia, known as UNTMISfinished his work on Saturday and according to Mr. Zenenga “Although major challenges remain, the closure of UNTMIS comes after major progress made by Somalia since the early years of international efforts to support the country’s recovery..”
Somalia has undergone a major transformation since the early 1990s, when the collapse of central state institutions and the outbreak of civil war resulted in years of conflict, instability and humanitarian crises.
Raisedon Zenenga, Officer in Charge of UNTMIS, delivered remarks at the mission closing ceremony.
The conflict triggered large flows of refugees and displacement, while ongoing insecurity, a contentious electoral process and constitutional reform, and recurring climate shocks – including droughts and floods – increased humanitarian needs and presented severe challenges to the country’s recovery.
Somali responsibility
Successive political missions accompanied Somalia through key stages in its peacebuilding and state-building journey, supporting Somali-led efforts to restore governance, rebuild institutions and promote national reconciliation.
With the end of UNTMIS, Somali institutions will now take full responsibility for the country’s recovery with support from UN agencies already working in the country.
“Somalia today has national and federal institutions that did not exist when the UN’s political involvement began. Progress has been made in state formation, political inclusion, constitutional processes, human rights frameworks and the development of governance structures that enable Somali-led decision making,” said Mr. Zenenga.
“However, Continued engagement from the international community will remain critical to sustaining progress and addressing overwhelming priorities,” he added.
A World Food Program staff member (left) speaks with a woman in a refugee camp who was forced to leave their home.
Humanitarian and development support
This involvement includes several things 25 UN entities who are still working in Somalia to provide humanitarian and development support.
In September, in the city of Balcad, a rundown vegetable market received a makeover from the UN migration agency, IOM.
There are now 56 sturdy kiosks, running water and solar lighting. Approximately 70 percent of the kiosks are owned by women-headed households, women-led businesses, and small businesses.
Elsewhere, the Somali Ministry of Health collaborates with UNICEFlaunched national guidelines on the care of newborns, including small or sick babies.
In Puntland, where nearly one million children are out of school, the UN food agency F.A.O supports a school meals program that connects 1,330 local farmers and fishermen with schools serving 18,700 children, so that children can eat and families can earn income.
And in Baidoa, mine action experts from UNMAS helped Somali authorities teach hundreds of students and teachers how to recognize explosion hazards.
Complex crisis
UN humanitarian affairs office, Ochacalled the situation in Somalia one of the most complex crises in the world.
Conflict and climate shocks continue to influence each other, and families fleeing drought or conflict are often uprooted from their homes a second or third time by floods or renewed violence.
This year, 4.8 million Somalis, out of a total population of just under 20 million, need humanitarian assistance.
Aid agencies requested $852 million to reach 2.4 million people, which is half the population in need, and by mid-October only about 35 percent of that number had arrived.
That UN Secretary General also wants continued support to address the threat from the Al-Shabaab terror group and help Somalia move towards a gradual and sustainable security transition.
Children are carried across floodwaters in plastic barrels in Hirshabelle State, Somalia.
Looking ahead, one of the big challenges for Somali leaders after October will be poverty.
They must overcome this while stabilizing the still fragile economy. The country relies heavily on subsistence farming, livestock, money sent home by relatives abroad, and livestock grazing.
Country imports more than 90 percent of essential goodsaccording to Ocha.
The UN will remain
When UNTMIS closed, The UN is not going away. UN humanitarian and development agencies continue to support Somalia and its people.
“Today is not the end of the partnership between the UN and Somalia,” said Deputy Special Representative Zenenga. “It marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another.”
