New Agreement..............any thing to shout about??

[Thinkerman]

Somalia Leaders Sign Historic Deal-

 

The East African Standard (Nairobi)

 

January 30, 2004

Posted to the web January 30, 2004

 

Eliud Miring'uh

Nairobi

 

President Kibaki yesterday presided over a ceremony on Somali peace agreement at State House, Nairobi.

 

The Somali delegation included interim President, Abdiqassim Salad Hassan, and representatives of various factions.

 

 

The agreement signed stipulates, among other issues, the mode of electing members of the 275 strong Transitional Federal Somali Parliament, and modalities of adopting a new constitution.

 

The agreement was a culmination of talks between various factions which started at Nairobi's Safari Park Hotel on January 9, and took 18 days. The talks were brokered by Musyoka, assisted by the Kenyan team.

 

Delegates were drawn from the Transitional Government, the National Salvation Council, the Somali Reconciliation and Restoration Council, and members of the Civil Society.

 

The agreement was signed by all the 39 member delegation, but six representatives of key factions were allowed to make speeches before President Kibaki.

 

The ceremony, at the State Garden, was conducted by Foreign Affairs Minister, Kalonzo Musyoka. It was attended by National Security Minister, Chris Murungaru, Foreign Affairs assistant minister Moses Wetang'ula, and Head of Public Service Ambassador Francis Muthaura.

 

Others included Kenya's Special Envoy to the Somali peace talks, Ambassador Bethwel Kiplagat, and Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia Mr. Mohammed Affey.

 

Those who spoke were Mohammed Qanyare Afrah, Adan Mohamed Nur 'Madhobe', Col. Abdullahi Yusuf, Mohammed Dreere, and Musa Sudi Yalahow.

 

The leaders called for unity, saying they were eager to have the document adopted by the plenary of the Somali National Reconciliation Conference meeting at Mbagathi next week.

 

They urged the international community not to relent in their assistance as the delegates met in Nairobi to attend phase (three) of the talks before the appointment of a new Transitional Federal Parliament.

 

President Kibaki said the Somali civil war had brought misery and suffering for the past 14 years.

 

He said it was inconceivable that the conflict had dragged on for too long yet Somalis shared the same skin colour and even language, which should have made negotiations easier.

 

Said the President: "When I look at you, I see the same people, and the same skin colour. So why would you be fighting for 14 years yet you share the same values, and the even the language?"

 

He said it was Kenya's hope that at last peace would be restored in the war-ravaged nation, since the two countries shared a common border.

 

He said the last 14 years in Somalia without a sovereign authority has been a wasted period and urged the delegates to seize the opportunity and reverse the current situation.

 

"You have wasted 14 years of valuable time. This is no time to reflect on that loss, but a golden opportunity for you to think what can be achieved from now onwards," the President said.

 

He urged the delegates to pray and speak with one voice, saying the world's attention was now focused on Somalia.

 

Kibaki, who is the chairman of IGAD facilitating committee, also conveyed best wishes to the delegates from Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni the current chairman of IGAD Heads of States Summit.