STORY: Meeting on Somalia’s new constitution

closes with presidential promise to speed up

review process
TRT: 4:08
SOURCE: UNSOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
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CREDIT REQUIRED: UNSOM PUBLIC INFORMATION
LANGUAGE: SOMALI/ENGLISH NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 15/MAY/2018, MOGADISHU SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:
1. Wide shot, participants in the conference hall at the closing of the National
Constitutional Convention
2. Med shot, participants waving the Somali flag
3. Close up shot, Somali flag
4. Wide shot, participants listening to the Speaker of the House of the People
Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman
5. Med shot, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Somalia
Michael Keating and the Constitutional Affairs Minister Abdirahman Hosh Jibril
6. Wide shot, Speaker of the House of the People, Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman,
speaking at the closing of the convention
7. Med shot, participants listening
8. Close up shot, a participant listening
9. Med shot, participants holding the Somali flag
10. Close up shot, a participant listening
11. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman, Speaker of the House of
the People
“We are determined to put an end to the review and finalize Somalia’s constitution
by 2018. The process of constitutional review has gone on for too long and this is the
right time to put an end to it.”
12. Wide shot, participants
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Keating, Special Representative of the United
Nations Secretary-General for Somalia
“This is a major milestone for Somalia and I cannot tell you how happy I am to see
this day and how proud I am to be the representative of the international
community congratulating you on what is happening.”
14. Med shot, international partners at the convention
15. Close up shot, Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman, the Speaker of the House of the
People
16. Close up shot, a representative of international partners listening
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Keating, Special Representative of the United
Nations Secretary-General for Somalia
“A successful constitutional review process is going to make (it) possible to achieve
this agenda and to address the many challenges. And for it to succeed it requires to
be approached in a spirit of reconciliation as well as ensuring that everyone accepts
the legal basis upon which power is exercised in Somalia.”,
18. Close up shot, a participant listening
19. (English) Michael Keating, Special Representative of the United Nations
Secretary-General for Somalia
“The international community is very supportive of this process. Politically my
colleagues in UN will do their best to provide technical advice and will also do our
best to mobilize financial resources.”
20. Med shot, participants listening
21. Close up shot, a participant listening
22. Wide shot, religious leaders listening
23. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Abdirahman Hosh Jibril, Constitutional Affairs Minister of
the Federal Republic of Somalia
“We are all working to finalize the writing of this constitution and facilitate ‘one-
person one-vote’. I’m one of the oldest people here but I’m embarrassed that I’ve
never had the privilege to vote. As a citizen of Somalia, I want to get an opportunity
to say that I voted.”
24. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Mohamed Abdalla Salah, Deputy Chairperson of the
Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission (ICRIC)
“The national convention is calling for the following principles to be the basis for the
review process; ownership of the process should be Somali-led and Somali-owned,
the review process should be finalized by December 29, 2019.”
25. Close up shot, Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman, the Speaker of the House of the
People, and Abdirahman Hosh Jibril, the Constitutional Affairs Minister
26. Wide shot, participants leaving
27. SOUNDBITE (English) Ali Do’oy, Participant at the Convention
“This is the fundamental basis for the real and essential reconciliation of Somalia and
state building and nation building.”
28. SOUNDBITE (Somali) Anisa Diriye, Participant at the Convention
“I believe this process will lead Somalia to successfully have a new constitution and
the people will know the value of Somalia and the rule of law.”

Meeting on Somalia’s new constitution closes with presidential promise to speed

up review process

Mogadishu, 15 May 2018 – A three-day gathering on a new constitution for Somalia

ended today with an assurance from the country’s leader, President Mohamed
Abdullahi ‘Farmaajo,’ that the Horn of Africa country will have a new constitution
ahead of schedule – before the end of next year.

“We are determined to put to an end the review and finalize Somalia’s constitution
by the end of 2018,” the president said, in a message delivered on his behalf by the
Speaker of the House of the People, Mohamed Mursal Abdirahman.
Somalia is currently governed by a Provisional Constitution and the promulgation of
a new and permanent constitution is expected before the country holds a ‘one-
person, one-vote election’ in 2020.

The National Constitutional Convention, which drew more than 350 delegates from
all sectors of Somali society, kicks off a review process that will address a number of
unresolved constitutional issues, including the future status of Mogadishu and the
sharing of powers and resources between the federal government and the Federal
Member States.

Though the review timetable expects the new document to be ready by the end of
2019, in his message, President ‘Farmaajo’ said his government is determined to
complete the process earlier, in line with an earlier promise to deliver a new
constitution before the end of his four-year term. The president took office in 2017.

The country’s leader – currently on a state visit to Qatar – noted that the process of
developing new laws to govern the country and replacing the Provisional
Constitution, developed in 2012, had taken too long, adding that it was time Somalia
had a new political charter. He also highlighted that a new constitution would unite
the country, protect the rights of its citizens and help bring about political stability.

Also addressing the closing today, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative

for Somalia, Michael Keating, praised the Somali government for its efforts in
developing a timetable for the new constitution.

“This is a major milestone for Somalia, and I cannot tell you how happy I am to see
this day and how proud I am to be the representative of the international
community congratulating you on what is happening,” Mr. Keating said.

The UN envoy added that a successful review process should be approached in the
spirit of unity and reconciliation, adding that he would mobilize financial resources
from the international community to add to the $3 million pledged earlier this week
by the Federal Government of Somalia to help conclude the process.

“Politically, my colleagues in UN will do their best to provide technical advice and

will also do our best to mobilize financial resources,” Mr. Keating said.

Others addressing the gathering included the Minister of Constitutional Affairs,

Abdirahman Hosh Jibril, who is leading the review process, and the Vice-Chairperson
of the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission (ICRIC),
Mohamed Abdalla Salah.