Office of the President
Jubbaland State of Somalia
Somalia faces the threat of Al Shabab terrorist group. Al Shabab controls vast territories in Somalia that includes an entire region of Jubbland State of Somalia- the Middle Jubba Region. Today, Al-Shabaab however, operates as an insurgency group engaged in an asymmetric warfare focusing on deadly car and suicide bombs in major urban centers of Somalia.
The lack of peace and security for many parts of the country, and the absence of strong institutions that can deliver basic and sustainable public services such as access to health, education, clean water and economic opportunities has created an opening for the terrorist groups to maximize their destruction. Currently the Somali National Army (SNA) remains poorly trained and equipped. It is also plagued by mismanagement, corruption and lacks coordination in command and control. Moreover the Somali National Army has no coordination and collaboration with the Federal Member States. Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), is dismantled and doesn’t function. The insecurity also has disrupted the agricultural production industry, which has led to widespread food shortages in the country.
The way forward to defeat Al Shabab extremists is to build strong national security and vibrant economy. Amid all these challenges Somalia has made tremendous progress. Apart from Somaliland, today we have the Federal Government, and five Federal Member States that have constitutions, parliamentary, Judiciary and executive branches. When the current Federal Government led by President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo came to power on Feb 8, 2017 through an indirect electoral process, Somalis everywhere celebrated a new dawn, a day of will, prosperity, peace and unity.
Jubbaland State of Somalia (JSS) was the first Federal Member State that has invited the new President and members of his administration to Kismayo, the interim capital of Jubbaland on June 6, 2017. The President has received a warm welcome from the people of Jubbaland. Similarly, Jubbaland was the first state government that has invited Prime Minister Hassan Kheyre and his entire cabinet to convene their weekly cabinet meeting in Kismayo on July, 2017 and the prime minister and his Delegation’s subsequent visit to Jubbaland on March 2019.
The Jubbaland State of Somalia (JSS) along with other Federal Member States (FMS) are determined to work with the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), at all levels but the efforts by JSS to reach out to the FGS has not so far produced any tangible results. In spite of JSS’s commitment to work with the FGS, it became clear that the leaders of the FGS have their priorities and they have actively and aggressively engaged in the destabilization of Jubbaland and other Federal Member States. Such actions of aggression and destabilization perpetrated by the leadership of the FGS against the FMS will ultimately benefit the Al Shabab terrorist group. Moreover, the lack of will on the part of the Federal Government to embrace the principles of Somalia’s Federal system has already undermined the smooth implementation of federalization process, and could lead the country to slide back into political and security instability, resulting in systematic breakdown of what has been accomplished by the hard work of the Somali people and the international partners. This ongoing impasse and deaf ears by the Leadership of the Federal Government is self-defeating and will obviously result in the fragmentation of the Somali Federal State. Leaders of the FGS has rejected all proposals to create frameworks for collaboration between the FGS and FMS during the last meetings that were held in Kismayo, Mogadishu and Garowe, ignoring to establish mechanisms under which different layers of governments could work together in line with articles 50 & 51 of the Provisional Constitution. The FGS’s leadership have explicitly shown their unwillingness to apply the principles of Somalia’s federalism as required by Article 50 of the Federal Constitution. The FGS has not as of yet, established some of the vital independent national commissions and autonomous offices in conformity with the Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The Jubbaland State of Somalia has shown President Farmajo and PM Kheyre time and again, the will and determination to work with them to defeat Al Shabab terrorists and to develop and strengthen the Somali government institutions. Jubbaland aims at achieving and maintaining a stable and peaceful Federal Member State of Somalia, through an open and inclusive political process. Jubbaland with its limited resources focuses on the following important areas:
- To hold the 2019 state elections in free, fair and transparent manner in line with JSS Constitution and state electoral laws
- To liberate the Jubbaland territories occupied by the terrorist Al Shabab group. Today the Jubbaland State of Somalia (JSS) does not have full territorial control, as Middle Juba Region is fully under Al Shabab control. JSS does not yet have the military and economic power to defeat Al Shabab alone and liberate all of its territories. It needs the strong support and collaboration of the FGS to fully realize this objective.
- To build and strengthen the government institutions and deliver basic public services to its residents.
The FGS with these daunting tasks has opted to:
- Drive a wedge between the branches of government in the regions and clan cohesiveness, creating political and security instability, thus weakening the state governments. The FGS’ efforts to destabilize Galmudug and Jubbaland is evident and clear from its hostile actions that are geared towards undermining the progress made by these nascent FMS in terms of security, reconciliation, peace building, economic recovery and provision of essential public services to their residents.
- The FGS has failed to consult as enshrined on Article 53 of the Somali Federal Constitution with the Member States on national decisions that have direct impact on them and their constituents, particularly during their negotiations with international partners on subjects of petroleum and other natural resources found within the boundaries the FMS. Subsequently, the root cause of the current political conflicts between the FGS and FMS is primarily based on the fact that the Federal Government has taken decisions of drafting bills and passing them through the Cabinet and then submitting to the Parliament for approval without consultation with the member states as well as decisions that matter and affect the lives and wellbeing of population in the regions. Any efforts tackling and resolving these disputes between the FGS and FMS must be based on law and the best interest of the Somali people in general.
- The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) has failed to honor the National Security Architecture, Justice Model and resource sharing agreements entered into with the FMS. Instead, FGS is often revising and modifying the already agreed upon terms of agreements without the knowledge and consent of the FMS, thus wasting time and resources to move the nation forward.
- The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) failed to embrace and implement the Somali federalism that the country has already adopted, as stipulated in the Provisional Constitution of Somalia – articles 48, 50, 51 52 and 53 which are the foundations of a federal system based on intergovernmental collaboration and cooperation on which the current FGS was established.
- The FGS has not as of yet created and completed the establishment of independent institutions , including the Constitutional Court, Judicial Service Commission, Anti-corruption Commission, Intergovernmental and dispute resolution mechanisms as enshrined by Somalia’s Provisional Constitution to provide for elaborate checks and balances that will ensure efficient, effective, transparent, accountable and equitable governance of the political and economic affairs of the Somali State at all levels.
- It is quite clear thatthe Federal Government is actively rejecting to fully implement the provisions of the Federal Constitution as proven by how leaders of the FGS and the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs set up their work planthat does not provide clear roles and responsibilities to the Federal Member States in the ongoing unilateral review process of Somalia Provisional Constitution. This negligence on the part of the FGS and its constant intervention in the internal affairs of the Member States have all resulted in the total collapse of the collaboration and cooperation that existed between the FGS and FMS.
- The Federal Government of Somalia is actively interfering in the internal affairs of Jubbaland State of Somalia by encouraging and instigating individuals and factions to create an atmosphere of insecurity, community conflicts and even armed confrontations in order to justify their political ambitions to influence the outcome of the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections in Jubbaland. This is a clear and direct contradiction with the provisions of the Federal Constitution, such as articles 120 and 142 providing full authority for FMS to hold their own state elections in accordance with their constitutions.
Jubaland State’s point of view, considering the stalemate and the breakdown of collaboration and cooperation with the FGS, is based on our strong held belief in the principle that all levels of government must coordinate and work together in order to strengthen the government institutions to ultimately facilitate direct democracy, provide essential public services and better represent the interest of the local population.
Jubbaland State of Somalia’s position is in accordance with that of the other FMS. Although we put countless efforts to collaborate and restore the working relationship with the Federal Government, solely as JSS, and collectively with other FMS, unfortunately, all our efforts didn’t materialize in any tangible results, thus our previous decision of suspending ties with the Federal Government still stands.
Jubbaland State of Somalia is focused to defeat the terrorist Al Shabab. We are building our state in a positive environment that is encouraging, sustainable development, reforming and strengthening democratic institutions.
Despite the breakdown of collaboration between the FGS and FMS, JSS is still positive and ready to reach out, resolve outstanding issues and work with the FGS to build peace and security for our country as a whole and to find a lasting solution to our disagreements on a range of issues.
We thank you.
Office of the President
Jubbaland State of Somalia
