Top UN envoy urges Diaspora to support for Somali peace deal
23/9/2008 17:59
The top United Nations envoy to Somalia is calling on the Diaspora for its
support of efforts to consolidate peace and stability in the war-ravaged Horn of
Africa nation.
Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the Secretary-General's Special
Representative in a letter updated the Diaspora on recent steps towards
achieving peace in Somalia, which has not had a functioning government in nearly
two decades.
"Once again we count on your strong backing for the peace
efforts in Somalia and thank you for all your hard work making Somalia a stable
and successful country which we believe will soon regain its dignity and be free
from violence and chaos," he wrote.
Last week, the International Contact
Group (ICG), chaired by Ould-Abdallah and comprised of countries and
organizations supporting the consolidation of peace in Somalia - has met in
neighboring Djibouti to discuss how to put a recent reconciliation agreement by
warring Somali political groups into practice.
That pact, the so-called
Djibouti Agreement, was signed last month between the Transitional Federal
Government (TFG) and the rebel group known as the Alliance for the Re-Liberation
of Somalia (ARS).
Two key committees, the High Level Committee and the Joint
Security Committee, set up under the deal wrapped up their second meeting
yesterday, during which they discussed practical ways to implement the
Agreement.
The Joint Security Committee is tasked with implementing security
arrangements while the High Level Committee deals with political cooperation,
justice and reconciliation.
Over the past five days, the parties met again in
Djibouti for a second round of meetings of the High Level Committee and the
Joint Security Committee set up by the peace deal.
"The Parties agreed to
continue the political dialogue between themselves and make efforts to move
forward on issues relating to political cooperation, reconciliation, justice and
human rights," according to a communiqu¨¦issued yesterday at the end of the
meeting.
Among other things, they also agreed to consult and conduct field
assessments, as well as meet within 15 days to jointly develop a viable military
plan for carrying out the ceasefire.
In addition, they decided to form a
board to facilitate and coordinate the response to the humanitarian situation in
the Horn of Africa nation.
Some 2.6 million people, or 35 per cent of the
population, are in need of aid due to conflict, drought and high food
prices.
"They call on the international community to urgently provide
humanitarian assistance to the needy people of Somalia," the communiqu¨¦stated,
adding that the parties reaffirmed their strong determination to help ensure
unhindered humanitarian access and assistance.
Xinhua
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