30 December - Source: Voice of America - 533 Words The outgoing United Nations envoy to Somalia, Nicholas Kay, says the country has an "unstoppable momentum" toward being a stable and secure country. In his final interview before leaving office, Kay told VOA that Somalia has managed to convert a dream of being a federal Somalia into reality. The country now has five interim regional administrations and federal member states, which he says brings government and accountability closer to the people. "I arrived full of hope, and I’m leaving not just with hope but with a very firm conviction that Somalia is now a fragile but recovering country and no longer a failed state,” he said.

Kay says the country has also made "reasonable progress” in fighting Al-Shabaab militants, recovering up to 14 towns and districts during his two and a half years in office. The government and the African Union force AMISOM took control of the capital, Mogadishu, in 2011. Kay said the militant group is territorially in a "much weaker position” and is suffering from infighting between factions that support the so-called Islamic State and those still loyal to al-Qaida. However, he said it would be a concern if IS were to gain a foothold in Somalia.

"Clearly, it would be a concern if they were to consolidate an ISIL/Daesh presence in Somalia and it resulted in extra resources or manpower for the organization. That would be a concern,” he said. Kay said Al-Shabaab still poses a terrorist threat and does "terrible things” in terms of suicide bombings and targeted assassinations. But he insists it’s an organization that no longer poses an "existential or strategic threat” to Somalia.