A/HRC/13/65
page 11
III. DEVELOPMENTS IN POLITICAL, SECURITY
AND HUMANITARIAN FIELDS
A. Political developments
37. The Transitional Federal Government celebrated, on 29 January 2010, its first anniversary
as a government of national unity in Mogadishu. On this occasion, the President highlighted the
achievements of the transitional federal institutions, noting that significant advances had been
made in re-establishing the Somali security forces and institution-building. He announced
Government plans in 2010 to look to strengthening institutions providing essential services, such
as education and health. He reiterated his call to all Somalis to join the peace process.
38. On 15 December 2009, the High-Level Committee established under the Djibouti peace
process met in Nairobi, chaired by UNPOS. The Somali delegation was led by the Prime
Minister. Participants discussed the Government’s initiatives to engage groups still outside the
peace process. They also discussed the Government’s preparation of a six-month budget and its
efforts to finance some of its programmes through its own resources. They underlined the critical
role of security stabilization as a precondition for successful implementation of humanitarian and
recovery programmes in the country. The meeting further welcomed the documents that the
Government had prepared for the International Contact Group meeting which subsequently took
place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on 17 December 2009 under the auspices of the Organization of
the Islamic Conference and Saudi Arabia. Over 120 delegates from Governments and institutions
attended the meeting.
39. As a follow-up to the Jeddah meeting, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General
for Somalia, accompanied by the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union,
visited Mogadishu on 25 January 2010. They discussed with the Government a wide range of
issues, including the international community’s support to Somalia, human rights, the fight
against impunity and humanitarian assistance.
B. Security situation
40. The renewed fighting in Mogadishu has once again exposed the vulnerability of the
civilian population – especially women and children – to violence and inhuman suffering. As in
the past, there have been allegations of the use of improvised explosive devices and
indiscriminate firing of mortars into areas populated or frequented by civilians by all parties to
the conflict, without respect for provisions of international humanitarian law. As a result, civilian
deaths and casualties, including of women and young children, have been significant. Massive
displacement of the population has continued, with access of the affected population to
humanitarian assistance restricted.
41. On 3 December 2009, hard-line Islamists launched one of their most brutal attacks
targeting prominent Somalis, including Government ministers, students and journalists. The
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