Like my colleagues, I would like to begin by warmly thanking the Special Representatives of the UN and the African Union for their presentations but also for their precious work. And I also welcome, in my national capacity, His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Somalia to this meeting.

And our special thanks to you, Mrs. Elman, for your presentation and your commitment. Thank you for reminding us of the importance of civil society to the work of this Council at a crucial moment; a moment of “hope”, as you rightly put it. We have also listened to your advice and your expectations of this Council and of the international community.

I would like to highlight three points relating to the various transitions mentioned:

First, the transition of UNSOM. This must be well managed to support the consolidation of peace in Somalia. We encourage the federal government and UNSOM to continue their constructive partnership on the proposed two-year transition to the UN country team and Somali authorities. Best practices from other UN mission transitions should serve as inspiration in addressing humanitarian, political and economic challenges, as well as the impact of climate change.

Second, with regard to democratic transition, we welcome the federal government's intention to implement the principle of “one person, one vote”, as mentioned by several of my colleagues, as well as all the efforts being made to move forward with the revision of the constitution. For these reforms to succeed, a transparent, consensual and inclusive process is required, with the participation of all federal member states. As women's participation – we heard it – in political processes is essential to consolidate peace and advance national cohesion, the quota of at least 30% representation in parliament must be fully implemented.

My third point concerns the security transition. Al Shabaab remains the most serious threat to the country's peace and stability, and in particular to the Somali people. We are deeply concerned by the growing number of civilian victims of these attacks, which we condemn in the strongest possible terms, while calling on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law. We must ensure that the protection of civilians is a priority during the transition from ATMIS to its successor mission and to the Somali security forces. Respect for international humanitarian law and human rights must guide the security transition.

Furthermore, we remain concerned by the alarming number of serious violations of children's rights, and call for the implementation of the Council Working Group's conclusions in this regard. We condemn the recent execution of four young adults in Puntland for crimes committed when they were minors and associated with Al Shabaab. We emphasize that the Age Verification Committee recommended against imposing the death penalty.

We are also concerned by the tensions between the federal government and certain federal member states, and by the increasingly tense rhetoric between Somalia and Ethiopia. We encourage the parties to show restraint and give priority to dialogue. We welcome all diplomatic initiatives in this regard, including with the support of third-party states. Given the many security challenges, unity is needed in the region.

In conclusion, we now look forward to further discussions in this Council next week. Consultations with the African Union's Peace and Security Council in mid-October will also be a key moment for further discussion on the design of the new peace mission, including predictable and sustainable funding. We will engage constructively in the negotiations on the various mandates.

Switzerland reaffirms its full support for Somalia and its people during this transitional phase, as they build peace and a prosperous future.

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