STORY: On Baidoa visit, international representatives

discuss elections, security and economic issues

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LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATURAL SOUND
DATELINE: 14/OCTOBER/2020, BAIDOA, SOMALIA

SHOT LIST:

1. Aerial shot – Baidoa, Somalia.

2. Various Shots – Helicopter landing at Baidoa Airport.
3. Wide shot – Disembarking from flight: UN Secretary-General’s Special
Representative for Somalia, James Swan, the European Union’s (EU) Ambassador to
Somalia, Nicolas Berlanga; the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the
African Union (AU) Commission, Ambassador Francisco Madeira; and a Senior
Advisor of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Jamal Ahmed
Ibrahim.
4. Pan wide shot – Guard of honour by AMISOM forces, Baidoa.
5. Follow shot– Guard of honour by AMISOM forces, Baidoa.
6. Various shots – Delegation walking and meeting South West State’s President
Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed ‘Laftagareen.’
7. Various shots – UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia James
Swan with the delegation meeting the South West State’s President Abdiaziz Hassan
Mohamed ‘Laftagareen.’
8. SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) JAMES SWAN, UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOMALIA
“In our meeting today with President Abdiaziz, we discussed the importance of
continuing good relations between the Federal Government of Somalia and the
Federal Member States. We are encouraged by the revitalization of the dialogue
between the Federal Government and all of the Federal Member States. This has
included the series of meetings in Dhusamareb in recent months and consultative
meetings in Mogadishu in September during which the agreement on the elections
model was reached. We appreciate President Abdiaziz’s leadership at many stages of
this process. The results of those meetings demonstrated what can be achieved
when Somalia’s leaders come together in a spirit of consensus and collaboration for
the good of the country. We urge the leaders to continue in this manner with the
preparations for the national elections so that they are underpinned by
transparency, fairness and inclusivity. This applies to all aspects of the electoral
process, such as the formation of federal- and state-level independent electoral
committees, the Dispute Resolution Committee and Elections Security Committee.”

9. Wide shots (various) – UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia

James Swan with the delegation meeting the South West State’s President Abdiaziz
Hassan Mohamed ‘Laftagareen.’
10.SOUNDBITE: (ENGLISH) JAMES SWAN, UN SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL
REPRESENTATIVE FOR SOMALIA
“We also encourage Somalia’s leaders to extend their cooperation into additional
areas, such as the constitutional review and other processes that can help advance
national priorities, democratic reforms and essential freedoms, such as freedom of
speech and freedom of the press. These are all key components of a lively
democratic system that will allow Somali voices to be heard.”

11. Aerial shot of Baidoa.

On Baidoa visit, international representatives discuss elections, security and

economic issues
Baidoa, 14 October 2020 – On a visit to Somalia’s South West State today,
representatives of some of the country’s key international partners highlighted the
importance of the Federal Government and Federal Member States working
together for the good of all Somalis.

“We are encouraged by the revitalization of the dialogue between the Federal
Government and all of the Federal Member States. This has included the series of
meetings in Dhusamareb in recent months and consultative meetings in Mogadishu
in September during which the agreement on the elections model was reached,”
said the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia,
James Swan.
“We appreciate President Abdiaziz’s leadership at many stages of this process,” he
added, at a brief press conference in the interim capital of Baidoa following a group
meeting with the President of South West State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed
‘Laftagareen.’

The UN envoy traveled to Baidoa with the Special Representative of the Chairperson
of the African Union (AU) Commission, Ambassador Francisco Madeira; the
European Union’s (EU) Ambassador to Somalia, Nicolas Berlanga Martinez; and, from
the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the Head of Mission,
Jamal Ahmed Ibrahim.

In his remarks, Mr. Swan said the results of the Dhusamareb and Mogadishu
meetings demonstrated what can be achieved when Somalia’s leaders come
together in a spirit of consensus and collaboration.

“We urge the leaders to continue with the preparations for the national elections so
that they are underpinned by transparency, fairness and inclusivity,” the UN Special
Representative said. “This applies to all aspects of the electoral process, such as the
formation of federal- and state-level independent electoral committees, the Dispute
Resolution Committee and Elections Security Committee.”

Mr. Swan also noted the importance of close collaboration to ensure security around
the elections, and recognized the efforts of the South West State administration in
this regard, despite persistent threats from Al Shabaab.

The partners also encouraged Somalia’s leaders to extend their cooperation further
in areas such as the constitutional review and other processes that can help advance
national priorities, democratic reforms and essential freedoms, such as freedom of
speech and freedom of the press.
“These are all key components of a lively democratic system that will allow Somali
voices to be heard,” Mr. Swan, adding that the AU, EU, IGAD and UN will continue to
stand with the people of South West State as they build a better future.

On the economic front, the international partners recognized the damaging impact
of the COVID-19 pandemic and its disruption of economic growth in South West
State, and also underscored the importance of revenue collection and good
governance for the future development of the state.