Activities of Secretary-General in Somalia, 29 October

NEW YORK, November 7, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- United Nations Secretary‑General Ban Ki‑moon arrived in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Wednesday, 29 October. This was the third leg of a joint visit to the Horn of Africa region, with the President of the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim, as well as representatives of the African Union, European Union, African Development Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank.

Upon arrival, the Secretary-General met with the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the Prime Minister of Somalia, Abdiwali Sheikh Ahmed, and the Speaker of the Federal Parliament of Somalia, Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari. They discussed the progress being made in the transitional arrangements as well as issues of peace, security, and development in Somalia. The Secretary‑General stressed the vital importance of a united political leadership in Somalia. The Secretary‑General and the President of Somalia also signed the United Nations Integrated Strategic Framework.

The Secretary‑General, the President and Prime Minister of Somalia, the Presidents of the World Bank and the Islamic Development Bank then held a joint press conference. The Secretary‑General noted that this was his second visit to Somalia and that he could see and feel how the country had made remarkable progress since his last visit in 2011. He added that Somalia was finally turning the corner and that now was the time to intensify efforts in a united, consistent and coordinated manner.

The Secretary‑General then met with representatives of women and youth before leaving Somalia for Kenya in the afternoon of Wednesday, 29 October.