Oversight Committee discusses priorities for the upcoming political and public engagement activities and specific chapters of the Provisional Constitution
From 18–23 December 2014, the Max Planck Foundation organised a six-day retreat for the Somali Provisional Constitution Review and Implementation Oversight Committee of the House of the People of the Somali Federal Parliament (Oversight Committee) in Entebbe, Uganda. The Oversight Committee is mandated with preparing and leading the constitutional review and implementation process as provided for in the Provisional Constitution of Somalia. The Max Planck Foundation has been supporting the Oversight Committee since June 2013 by facilitating the analysis and discussion of the Somali Provisional Constitution and developing ideas and suggestions for the review of the Constitution. During the six-day retreat in Entebbe, the Oversight Committee discussed its priorities for the upcoming political and public engagement activities of the Committee as well as Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 12 of the Somali Provisional Constitution, regulating the founding principles, the democratic representation and electoral system as well as intergovernmental relations in the federal system. These topics were discussed from a comparative constitutional law perspective. The consultations at the retreat resulted in a number of working documents, in which the Oversight Committee summarised its main findings and which will help to facilitate the planned public engagement activities.