The Foundation facilitates another retreat to support the Somali constitutional review process
rom 27 October to 5 November 2019, the Max Planck Foundation facilitated the second retreat of the Somali Constitutional Review and Implementation Oversight Committee (OC). It formed part of the EU funded project “Legal Capacity Building and Technical Support for the Somali Federal Parliament” and took place in Istanbul, Turkey.
Upon invitation from the OC’s Chairman, participants included four Commissioners and the Secretary General of the Independent Constitutional Review and Implementation Commission (ICRIC), four representatives from the Ministry of Constitutional Affairs (MoCA), the Deputy Speaker of the South West State Legislative Assembly and the Committee Chairs of the Constitutional Affairs Committees from the State Legislative Assemblies of Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Puntland. The UNDP Somalia Constitutional Review Support Project facilitated the attendance of two legal advisers from the OC and ICRIC respectively as well as a constitutional expert.
In preparation for the retreat, Foundation Research Fellows had studied and commented in detail on the draft constitutional amendments prepared by the OC and ICRIC. At the retreat the Foundation facilitators were given the opportunity to present this, resulting in very constructive and focused discussions amongst participants. These discussions were enriched by the presence and active participation of the Somali Minister of Constitutional Affairs, HE Salah Ahmed Jama. In the end, the participants agreed to take into account most observations made by the Foundation and appointed a sub-committee of drafters which is now tasked with incorporating this feedback into the draft constitutional amendments. The Foundation was also requested to subsequently support the work of the newly formed drafting sub-committee.