Thank you for your presentation.
The United States welcomes the Federal Government of Somalia’s appointment of a cabinet in August and its ongoing work on political reconciliation. We welcome the improving human rights situation and look forward to our continued work with Somalia to promote and bolster respect for human rights.
We remain concerned by Somalia’s history of arbitrary arrests and detentions, enforced disappearances, unlawful recruitment or use of child soldiers, and curtailment of freedom of expression, including through attacks on and intimidation of journalists.
We call on Somalia, including authorities in Somaliland, to release all persons arbitrarily or unlawfully detained. We also call on Somalia to continue efforts to end the unlawful recruitment and use of child soldiers.
The Federal Government of Somalia and its Somali regional authorities should continue their efforts to create transparent democratic structures that protect human rights and hold those who abuse them accountable.
Our question is: How can this body help the new government build democratic institutions that more effectively protect human rights?
Thank you.
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