Over the next few months, the Signatories have an historic opportunity to make real progress and help Somalia move forward towards greater stability. Theirs is a challenging agenda: ending the Transition successfully and succeeding it with institutions that are more legitimate and credible is a considerable task. But it’s also an essential one.

To achieve this, it’s vital that the Signatories do two things:

• Firstly to make the process as inclusive and representative as possible of the views and wishes of the Somali people.
• Secondly, to continue to work together in the spirit and letter of the Roadmap and Garowe agreements. Clearly there is much still to agree and resolve – not least a number of the key provisions in the draft Constitution.

If these conditions are met, then there will be an historic opportunity to move the process forward and set the foundations for greater stability in Somalia. Somalia’s leaders now need to decide whether they are prepared to put aside personal differences and interests and help bring peace and security to Somalia after 21 years of conflict, or whether this will be another wasted opportunity for future generations to regret.

If Somalia’s leaders are ready and willing to do the right thing, the UK, together with our international partners and the UN, will make sure the process doesn’t suffer for lack of resources. As a whole, the international community is providing $11m to support the political process, of which the UK is providing over $1.5m. There will also be an opportunity at the forthcoming Istanbul conference on Somalia to ensure the international community is pulling in the same direction, and coordinated in its efforts to support Somalia through the transitional process.

Political debate is essential – and helpful – to delivering this. But disagreement should not be allowed to become an excuse for blocking the process. That is why we support the recent UN, AU and IGAD joint letter on ensuring that the process isn’t obstructed by so-called ‘spoilers’. Together with our international partners, the UK is clear that those that stand in the way of both this process should be penalised.

A critical part of getting the political process right is for the Roadmap signatories to explain to the Somali people how  it will work: how clan elders were chosen to appoint the National Constituent Assembly (NCA), how the members of the NCA will be chosen, how differences over the constitution will be resolved, and what the timetable is. The constitution must also be published as quickly as possible.

Once again, my appeal is simple: please do get involved and make your views and opinions known. This is a significant opportunity; and it’s important that it reflects the genuine concerns of all Somalis. And one that, by working together, can help take Somalia forward.

I want to pick up this theme – but also highlight one of the many and vital successes. This is of course, Jamal Osman, recently named journalist of the year at the One World media awards in London this week.

The awards recognise outstanding journalism on the developing world. Jamal was awarded the title for his portfolio of exceptional work on Somalia, including coverage of Somali athletes training for the London Olympics later this summer – a truly inspiring story of athletes, like Abdinasir Ibrahim, a 5,000 metre runner who competed at Beijing and hopes to compete in London, striving to achieve great things for themselves and their country.

Jamal’s work has also covered more distressing issues – including last year’s drought and the appalling conditions facing many refugees. His bravery brought the unfolding tragedy in southern Somalia to an audience of millions.

So as we honour those journalists killed in the line of duty in Somalia and strive for greater freedom of expression and protection of journalists in Somalia, it’s only right that we salute the outstanding work of Jamal Osman – One World Journalist of the Year.

On World Press Freedom Day, my thoughts are with the families of the brave Somali journalists who were killed on the course of duty and those who still brave the dangers of operating in one of the most difficult places in the world to be a be a journalist.

The shocking fact is that so far in 2012 one Somali journalist has been murdered each month. The latest victim Farhan James Abdulle of Radio Daljir was killed in Galkayo yesterday.

Other victims in 2012 have been Mahad Salad Adan, a reporter for Radio Shabelle, Ali Ahmed Abdi, a Radio Galkayo reporter, Abukah Hassan Mohamoud who was the Ex-Director of Somaliweyn, and Hassan Omar Abdi who was the director of Radio Shabelle.

On behalf of the UK Government, I condemn the killing of Farhan and reiterate the statement of the UK Minister for Africa Henry Bellingham which condemned the killing of Abukah Hassan Mohamoud.

The UK stands for universal human rights, the rule of law, democracy and freedom of expression. As always we wish to express solidarity with Somali journalists in resisting intimidation and maintaining the freedom of the press.

Our commitment is clearly reflected in the Communique of the London Conference on Somalia where all participants emphasised that journalists must be able to operate freely and without fear.

This commitment is further highlighted in the 2011 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights and Democracy Report.  The report lists Somalia as one of the countries of concern.

The report notes that international and local media reporting remained limited and journalists continued to operate in extremely difficult circumstances, with media freedoms often suppressed and intimidation of Somali journalists and civil society by armed groups commonplace.

The next few months will be crucial as Somalia enters an important phase to end the transition in August, and more than ever there is a need to have a vibrant media sector in Somalia that will be able to inform the Somali public about all that is happening in their country.

It is important that the freedom of the press is enshrined in the new Constitution as this will guarantee the media the space to operate freely. It is in this regard that we look forward to the consultations regarding freedom of expression in Mogadishu next week.

I therefore call on Somali authorities to help protect journalists and respect the principal of freedom of expression, so that Somali media can play an effective role in the stabilisation of Somalia.

As we mark this day, I would like to assure Somali journalists and other stakeholders in the media that the UK will continue to stand with them.

Please leave a comment below with your thoughts about Press Freedom in Somalia.

Yesterday’s horrific bomb attack in Mogadishu has served as yet another reminder of Al Shabaab’s cruel and twisted ideology.

The day was meant to be one of celebration – marking the first anniversary of the launch of Somali National Television at the newly re-opened National Theatre. Yet it is to be remembered now for the tragic death of the President of the Somali Olympic Committee, Aden Yabarrow Wiish, the chief of the Somali Football Federation, Said Mohamed Nur, and several others. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those killed and injured.

As the British Prime Minister said in his statement yesterday, the action once again demonstrates Al Shabaab’s ‘complete disregard for the lives of the Somali people’. The sentiments in his statement have been echoed around the world – complete revulsion and utter condemnation for this cowardly and barbaric attack.

A month ago, world leaders came together at the London Conference to support the efforts of the Somali people and her leaders to forge a new path and build a new future for their country. What happened yesterday only strengthens our resolve to work together with our Somali partners to end over two decades of famine and bloodshed and the threats that the likes of Al Shabaab pose to Somali men, women and children.

I was in Mogadishu again yesterday – meeting with the Mayor of Mogadishu and officials from the TFG Prime Minister’s office – together with colleagues from the Department for International Development (DFID) and the UK Stabilisation Unit. We were discussing how we could continue to support the recovery of Mogadishu and its citizens and, in particular, the UK’s latest package of support – $2 million to support the rehabilitation of the city, announced last weekend during the visit of the UK Minister for Africa to Mogadishu.

What we heard yesterday was how Al Shabaab is continuing to lose the support of ordinary Somalis. What I’ve seen around the city is just how resolute the citizens of the city are to reclaim their capital from the extremists and warlords: to take part in Somalia’s rich culture of poetry and theatre and celebrate their sporting passions, such as football and basketball.

As David Cameron said yesterday, this is clearly a very difficult time for all those affected by yesterday’s attack, in particular the Somali Olympics team and the Somali Football Federation. We hope that in due course they will continue their work of uniting Somalia and once again show that, in the words of the Olympic Charter, sport can ‘contribute to building a peaceful and better world’. In London’s Olympic year, we stand with them.

Since the London Conference, we have been working hard on the agenda that the Conference set. We’re working with the Garowe Signatories to ensure that the selection of the Constituent Assembly is as representative of the Somali people as possible; we’re working with AMISOM and the TFG to ensure they get the resources they need to create greater safety and security; and we’re working with our international and Somali partners on supporting greater stabilisation across the country. I would like to know what you think about this agenda, a month on from London. Please either leave a comment below, or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.

Somalia is, according to a 2011 survey, one of the worst countries in the world in which to be a woman.  Women are subjected to violence, harassment and discrimination at every level. Many are forced to give birth in appalling conditions, with little or no antenatal or postnatal care. As a result, Somali women are among the most high-risk groups in terms of maternal healthcare in the world. Yet women in Somalia make up well over 50% of society. So why do many continue to face such appalling, often life-threatening situations?

Empowering Somali women is a key part of our work at the British Office for Somalia. Over the last year, UKaid, through the Department of International Development, has supported interventions that directly benefit women, including providing over 6,700 women with antenatal care services; with over 6,500 under-fives immunised. We helped generate over 235,000 days of direct employment specifically for women. This is in addition to our humanitarian assistance, which has reached over 300,000 people, many of whom were women and children.

But empowering women doesn’t end with antenatal services and better healthcare. It’s also about ensuring that women’s voices are heard in the political process. I understand the frustration and disappointment that not enough Somali women were included in the official Somali delegations to the London Conference last month. Despite this, the UK secured two references to women in the Conference Communiqué:  one stated that women must be part of the political process; the other called for action to address the grave human rights violations and abuses that women face. The critical issue is that we now follow up. Women demand – and deserve – an equal voice to that of men. Yet there has still only ever be one Cabinet post at a national level held by a woman – the Minister of Women and Family care. Last month, the ‘Garowe II’ meeting in Puntland confirmed that women would have at least 30% of the seats in the new Constituent Assembly. This is a start, but still not enough.

As the Foreign Secretary has said in his statement marking International Women’s Day,

“Women’s rights and human rights will remain at the heart of British foreign policy. In countries where women’s rights do not exist, we want them put in place;… No country can address its problems by drawing only on the talents of one of the sexes. No society can be free while the rights of one half of its citizens are curtailed. No lasting peace can be achieved after conflict unless the needs of women are met. Britain will continue to work to support women’s leadership and participation worldwide”.

So my questions for this blog are simple:  How can women get more of a voice in the political process in Somalia?  Can Somalia ever expect to have a woman as President – why not next time? And what are men not saying about the process that women would and do?

As ever, I look forward to your responses and comments.

The overriding feeling in the room yesterday was that we were at a moment in time in which circumstances had presented Somalis with their best opportunity for many years to make progress and lasting change for the better. As Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday, “let’s make this conference the turning point in helping the Somali people to reclaim their country and with that achieve greater stability and prosperity for Somalia, the region and the world”.

Hopefully the conference demonstrated to Somalis that they had the full support of the international community to continue on what David Cameron called, “the next stage of a long journey for Somalia”. The Conference Communique and its annexes that came out at the end of the day was an expression of the support, agreement and commitment given yesterday and in the weeks leading up to the conference.

The communique focused on seven main areas: political, security and justice, piracy, terrorism, stability and recovery, humanitarian, and international coordination. In all of these areas there is much to do. And in all of these areas it will be important to keep hearing the views of Somalis both inside Somalia and in the diaspora, as well as of other friends of Somalia, just as we have in the run up to this conference.

So I would like to invite you to continue using this blog as a forum to express your constructive views about how the aspirations of this conference and especially of the Somali people can be achieved, building on progress to date. Please leave a comment below, or on our Facebook or Twitter pages.

Somalia has an unenviable record as a failed state. Its twenty-year civil war has brought lawlessness and chaos at a massive human cost: one million Somalis are believed to have died; another 750,000 Somalis are currently seeking refuge in neighbouring countries. Last year alone, as the effects of drought, conflict and famine took hold across southern Somalia, it is estimated that between 50,000 and 100,000 people died; half of that number were probably children.

Somalia’s lawlessness is also breeding new threats. Large parts of the country are controlled by a group of extremists and criminals known as Al Shabaab – an organisation that only a few weeks ago publicly declared its relationship with Al Qaeda. Its leadership encourage fighters and sympathisers from around the world to use Somalia as a base for terrorism. The bombings that claimed the lives of 74 people in Kampala in July 2010 were planned and executed in Somalia.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia continues to pose a threat to international shipping: in the first half of 2011 more than 154 ships were attacked, with 21 hijacked and a total of 362 people taken hostage [1]. Piracy is costing an eye-watering amount. The One Earth Foundation estimates that in 2010 alone the costs of Somali piracy to the global economy ranged between $7billion and $12 billion.

And the costs keep mounting. A recent report by the Center for American Progress suggests that the international community has collectively spent just over $55 billion responding to Somalia since the civil war erupted in 1991 [2]. As the authors of this report recognise, the costs of such failed states ‘are immense and long-lasting’, encompassing more than just security concerns – failed states, such as Somalia, can make regional instability more likely and they can make it harder for business to invest in neighbouring states.

A more stable Somalia is therefore essential. We cannot afford to ignore the human suffering or the threats posed by Somalia’s instability to Somalis, to East Africa, or to the UK. We therefore have common cause in helping Somalia back from the brink. It’s for these reasons that Somalia matters.

‘But why now?’ many ask.

It’s because, despite all this suffering, there are glimmers of hope. There are opportunities to help Somalis put their country onto a more stable path. Now, before it’s too late.

Thanks to the extraordinary bravery of African Union and Somali troops, the city of Mogadishu, a once beautiful, now bullet hole-ridden city, has been recovered from Al Shabaab. I’ve seen for myself the renewed confidence in Mogadishu – streets bustling with people, shops open, and homes being rebuilt. A city torn apart by two decades of war is slowly beginning to recover – thanks to greater security and the leadership of people like Mohamed Nur, the Mayor of Mogadishu.

Al Shabaab is also under pressure, thanks to African troops and ongoing counter-terrorist operation. And for the first time in several years the threat of piracy is being reduced, as the naval task forces, of which the British Navy is a key part, arrest and detain pirates intent on taking ships and seafarers hostage.

Politically, there is also a real opportunity to help support a broader, more inclusive political process when the mandate of the Transitional Federal Institutions expires in August. Somalia’s government is committed to ensuring progress, as are Somalia’s regional leaders.

These opportunities need to be grasped to help the Somali people rebuild their lives, by strengthening their security, by tackling the shared threats of terrorism and piracy, by supporting communities become more resilient to drought and famine, by helping to make sure that as many Somalis as possible have a stake in their country’s political future. This is the best chance in a generation to help support a Somalia where the basic needs of the Somali people can be met, and where Somalia’s children can have a brighter future.

Clearly Somalia’s challenges won’t be solved overnight – we all realise that.  But we also realise that Somalia is no longer a ‘regional’ issue; it’s a global one. We also realise that these challenges can only be addressed by working together with Somalia’s leaders, the United Nations and the African Union.

It’s for these reasons that, on 23 February, the Prime Minister will host a meeting of over 50 countries and international organisations from across Africa, the Gulf, Europe and North America, including the UN, the African Union and the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation – all with a single purpose: to galvanise international support and agree a new international strategy to help turn round Somalia.

We hope the London Conference can mark the beginning of a renewed international commitment to work together and support a country and its people that have suffered enough.  Greater security in Somalia means greater security for the Somali people so they can rebuild their lives; it means greater security for the region, meaning businesses can invest more because Somalia no longer poses an international threat; it means greater security for us.

This shared interest is our national interest.

That’s ‘Why’.

It’s been quite a fortnight. At the end of January, I accompanied the UK Development Secretary, Andrew Mitchell, to the AU Summit in Addis Ababa and then to Somalia. In Dollow – the first time a British Minister has visited southern Somalia in recent years, Mr Mitchell saw for himself the huge difference that UKaid is making to the lives of thousands of Somali people in the south. Arriving in Garowe on Monday on the first-ever visit by a British Cabinet Minister to Puntland, the Minister received a warm welcome and was able to see for himself what’s possible with greater stability and security – in health care, rule of law, jobs and security. And in what was truly a ground-breaking visit, he was able to personally destroy over 45kg of unexploded ordnance – a further sign of the progress being made in helping to make Puntland safer, with the UK’s support.

36 hours in Nairobi and then it was back to Mogadishu on Thursday, this time accompanying the British Foreign Secretary, William Hague  – the first visit by a British Foreign Secretary since Douglas Hurd in 1992. And it was of real significance for me personally, as I was able to present my credentials from Her Majesty the Queen as the first British Ambassador to Somalia since 1991, in front of both the Foreign Secretary, and the President of the TFG, Sheikh Sharif, as well as the assembled press corps.

I’m hugely proud to have been appointed as the UK’s first Ambassador to Somalia in twenty years. I’m also overwhelmed and hugely touched by the warm response from Somalis around the world. It’s more than a change of job title – to me, it’s about our commitment to Somalia; it’s about our unwavering desire to engage with the Somali people and help bring about change for the better. It’s about the long-term and, undoubtedly, the long-haul. Some of my predecessors saw Somalia at its very best; our job is to help Somalia recover that – focusing first on supporting greater stability in the country and ensuring we provide the best advice we can both to Somalia’s leaders and the UK Government and assure the UK tax-payer that we are delivering results on the ground, for Somalis and the UK. We’re in this together.

And so to last weekend. I wrote most of this on the flight back from Djibouti where I participated in the meeting of the International Contact Group (ICG) on Somalia. At the ICG, there was a real – and renewed – sense of urgency; unanimity that the Transition should end this summer; widespread agreement that we need to do more to support communities across Somalia and enhance security. Last year’s famine was catastrophic; last week the UN announced that while the famine may have passed, millions remain at risk. Progress in Mogadishu, Puntland and elsewhere – as we saw last week – mean we have to seize the moment. Cowardly and barbaric acts such as this week’s bombing in Mogadishu only strengthen our resolve.

And so attention now shifts to the London Conference. Two weeks from now, world leaders from some 50 countries and organisations will meet in London with the single aim of ensuring we can support Somalia and the Somali people better and more effectively. This high-level summit, unprecedented in recent years, will seek to galvanise a more effective joint approach that strengthens the crucial work of the Somali leadership and the UN, AU and IGAD.

Please do leave a comment. While we can’t respond to every comment, each is read. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter. So, whether it’s online or in person, please do let me know what you think. Two weeks to go before London. As I said, we’re in this together.

Those views have been wide-ranging and usually heartfelt. And if you have left a comment so far you are probably aware that someone has to approve your comments before they are actually posted. You may also have noticed that so far almost every comment has been approved. The only ones that we haven’t approved were those that used highly offensive language or were deeply insulting or abusive to others. I am pleased to say that very few have fallen into this category so far, while the debate about values, systems and society has been vibrant and generally respectful of others’ views.

Talking about values, systems and society, in as open a way as possible, is a key part of participating in the political process. And the political process is one of the subjects that will be discussed by the international community and Somalis at the London Conference. Because now is a critical time. Here’s my take on why:

The UK and the international community continues to support the Djibouti Peace Process and continues to work closely with the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) to bring an end to the transition. The TFIs have until August 2012 to complete the transitional tasks. That the TFG and regional entities have agreed a comprehensive programme of work – the Roadmap – is welcome; as is the fact that they decided in Garowe, as part of the Garowe Principles, to hold a Constituent Assembly.

To be successful in helping take Somalia out of conflict, the Garowe process needs to be representative, and mechanisms should be found to ensure that all communities in Somalia, including those in the south, are represented in the discussion. This is about placing the Somali people at the heart of the process – in short, what you might call ‘Garowe-Plus’.

Time is tight. Experience suggests that such a process is fraught with difficulty. What should such a process look like? Well, for me, the by-words of any political process need to be ‘representative’, ‘participatory’, ‘bottom-up’. Even then, though, a number of questions remain – such as who and how to select participants? It will be for Somalis to decide on the key questions, such as whether the state should be federal or centralised, whether to have a Presidential or Cabinet system of government,  and what its constitutional responsibilities should be. In taking forward this important debate, the international community has a role to play to help ensure that the process is representative.

What do you think of progress on the Roadmap? What should follow the Transition? Who should have a say and why – a small group or a broad national dialogue? Tell me what you think below, or on Facebook or Twitter.

So, in this blog I want to open the floor – to a discussion of security issues. I want to pose two issues:

• Firstly, the role of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and in particular the question of how the international community can best support the operation; and
• Secondly, how support for the Somali security and justice sectors can help support the political process and stability in Somalia.

Improving security for the people of Somalia is vital. But – security cannot be sustained without a political process; and a political process cannot endure without better security. Both are critical; both are inter-twined. How can and how should they work together? Recent gains by AMISOM have provided an opportunity for people in Mogadishu to return to their city and start to rebuild their lives. The visible signs of rebuilding in the capital are a sign that confidence is slowly beginning to return. Improving security means more than just physical security, as important as it is – it also provides the means to further weaken Al Shabaab; to tackle the scourge of piracy; to provide an environment for further stability and recovery.

We want the London Conference to highlight the need for greater resolve – both international and Somali – to improve the security situation for ordinary people and create an environment in which a political process can flourish and effective governance can be extended across the country. This poses a number of questions – how big should AMISOM be? And how sustainable is it in the long term?  What about Somali security forces? And, most importantly of all, what about the issues of civilian protection and the rule of law? The challenges are great.  But so are the rewards.

I want to hear what you’ve got to say about this. Do you agree with what I have said above? Have we got the balance right? What are the issues around security and justice that you think need greater attention?

I look forward to the debate.  Please leave your comment below, or at UKinSomalia Facebook or UKinSomalia Twitter where we are also using #LDNSomalia to talk about the conference.