Chinese envoy calls for constructive assistance to Somalia

Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations [File Photo]

NEW YORK, United Nations - A Chinese envoy on Tuesday called for constructive assistance to Somalia to help stabilize the country.

Recently, the Somali parties have been moving forward with the electoral process against all odds. China encourages them to continue to overcome their differences and move forward with elections as agreed to create enabling conditions for national reconstruction, said Dai Bing, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

After 30 years of conflicts, Somalia is facing a multitude of severe challenges. The international community should respect the Somali-led and Somali-owned approach, show necessary patience, and provide constructive assistance, instead of exerting excessive pressure at every turn, he told the Security Council.

The security situation in Somalia remains volatile. So far this year, dozens of people have been killed in Al-Shabab terrorist attacks, Dai mentioned.

The African country is currently confronted with a dire humanitarian crisis. The worst drought in 30 years has caused crop failure, killed livestock, and sent prices soaring, with 70 percent of the population living below the poverty line, and nearly half of the population in urgent need of humanitarian assistance, he added.

Stressing that the future of Somalia must be owned by Somalis, he said the international community should firmly support Somalia in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and combat separatist acts, he said.

"We should give greater recognition to the role of development in improving the humanitarian and security situation, and help Somalia overcome its governance-related challenges, improve its capacity for self-reliant development, created jobs and growth, and eliminate the root causes of conflict," he said.

Somalia's peace and stability are pivotal to regional dynamics, and to help countries in the region, including Somalia, meet the triple challenges of security, development, and governance, China has put forward an initiative on peaceful development in the Horn of Africa, said Dai.

James Swan (C), the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, speaks at a Security Council meeting at the UN Headquarters in New York on Feb. 15, 2022.

The top UN envoy for Somalia on Tuesday saw possible overall progress in Somalia's situation.

"While political, security and humanitarian conditions in Somalia are still fragile, I remain guardedly hopeful that the country will make further progress in these areas in the coming months and beyond," James Swan, the UN secretary-general's special representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia, told the Security Council in a briefing.