Strengthening Somali Governance FY 2016 Q2 PROGRESS REPORT

FGS President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud announced that universal, one-person, one-vote, democratic elections were not possible due to resource and time constraints. Instead, the FGS and international community supported the use of the 4.5 representation model in the Lower House and the establishment of an Upper House, as outlined in the National Consultative Forum (NCF). In South-central Somalia, the FGS government and the joint African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) suffered multiple casualties and loss of military equipment due to fierce resistance from the Al-Shabaab (AS) insurgency. On January 15, 2016, AS militants attacked an African Union base at El Adde, killing more than 100 Kenyan soldiers and capturing countless others. The attack has led to calls for a withdrawal of Kenyan forces from Somalia, but both governments have reiterated their commitment to continuing and intensifying the ongoing offensive against the group. Somaliland and Puntland continue to face humanitarian and operational challenges caused by the latest drought. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that nearly 385,000 citizens face acute food insecurity in these regions. The Somaliland government has been coordinating with international community partners to respond to the food security crisis. The Somaliland President, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud Silanyo, announced a one-month postponement in the ongoing voter registration at the end of March to allow governmental agencies time to respond to the drought crisis in Somaliland. The Strengthening Somali Governance (SSG) project focused on delivering legislative development workshops to improve the legislative process at the federal level. In addition to work with the Parliament Secretariat, SSG delivered a one-day workshop for members of the FGS Parliament's Budget & Finance Committee on oversight responsibilities, head-to-head transfers, and the use of contingency funds. In Somaliland, SSG provided technical and operational assistance to the House of Representatives' (HoR) Economy and Finance Committee and to the Public Accounts Committee. The project held three key public consultations on Public Financial Management (PFM) related bills. The SSG project also provided support to the FGS and Puntland officials in their discussions over the 2016 federal elections. Puntland's President, Mohamed Ali Gaas, opposed the FGS's proposal to use the 4.5 electoral model. The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG) for Somalia, Michael Keating, along with European Union (EU) Representatives visited Garowe on January 11, 2016 to facilitate the discussion between Puntland leaders and the FGS on their differing views on the electoral process. Members of the international delegation acknowledged that the electoral model for 2016 was not ideal, but underlined that an agreement from all Somali stakeholders on the use of the 4.5 formula as a method to elect Members of Parliament (MPs) in the lower house would signify a step forward on the road to implementing the inclusive one-person, one-vote elections by 2020. The SSG project's upcoming reporting period's work plan includes continued support to the FGS and Puntland officials in their discussions over the 2016 federal elections. The project will also continue to provide technical and operational assistance to the House of Representatives' (HoR) Economy and Finance Committee and to the Public Accounts Committee in Somaliland. The project's sustainability will depend on the continued support of the international community and the commitment of the FGS and Puntland officials to implementing the project's recommendations.