NEWS ARTICLE: In Puntland, Somalia’s International Partners

discuss elections progress

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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/SOMALI
DATELINE: 13 MARCH 2022, GAROWE, SOMALIA

In Puntland, Somalia’s International Partners meet President Deni to discuss elections

progress

Garowe, 13 March 2022 - A delegation of some of Somalia’s International Partners was in

Puntland on Sunday, where it held meetings with the President of Puntland State, Said
Abdullahi Deni, to discuss the support needed to conclude the ongoing electoral process on
time.

“We discussed issues of local and national concern, with a particular focus on the current
elections. We heard from the president about the current drought and his concerns and how
we need to work together moving forward. We spoke about the urgency of moving to the next
stage of elections and the actions required to do so,” the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy
Special Representative for Somalia, Anita Kiki Gbeho, said in media remarks at the end of the
meeting in the Puntland capital, Garowe.

Ms. Gbeho was speaking on behalf of a delegation that was made up of the Head of the African
Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Ambassador Francisco Madeira, Deputy Head of AMISOM,
Fiona Lortan, the European Union Ambassador to Somalia, Tiina Intelmann, and the Head of the
Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) Special Mission to Somalia, Ibrahim
Mohamed Abdi.

The meeting with President Deni and members of his cabinet was part of regular visits to the
federal member states by representatives of Somalia’s International Partners to discuss means
to support Somalia’s peace, security and humanitarian processes.

Push for women’s political representation

Somalia’s International Partners have been calling on all leaders to ensure that the electoral
process respects the right of women to participate fully in all aspects of public life, and that the
minimum quota of 30 per cent women’s representation in Parliament should be achieved.

“We underlined the fundamental importance of inclusivity of the process. We applauded the
vibrant advocacy efforts in Puntland towards achieving the minimum quota of 30 per cent
women’s representation in Parliament,” the UN Deputy Special Representative added.

Ms. Gbeho noted that Puntland State had so far filled 31 out of 37 parliamentary seats, with
five of these seats taken by women. She, therefore, appealed for the redoubling of efforts to
ensure an increase in the number of women’s representation ahead of the 15 March deadline.

The visiting delegation said it was impressed by the progress Puntland has made towards
completing the parliamentary elections by the set deadline.

In his remarks to the media after the meeting, President Deni said the discussions with the
United Nations, AMISOM, European Union and IGAD delegation had centered on support and
solutions to any challenges met during the electoral process.

“We discussed the prevailing challenges, how to address them and how to conclude the
elections on time. We also looked at ways to implement all the agreements, including the
realisation of the thirty per cent quota for women,” said President Deni.

As part of its engagement with all stakeholders in Puntland, the visiting delegation also held
meetings with representatives of civil society organisations and members of the Puntland State
Electoral Implementation Team.

ENDS