New president says one year to stabilise Somalia

[General Duke]

New president says "one year" to stabilise Somalia

- Friday, November 05, 2004 at 19:17

 

By Daniel Wallis

 

KAMPALA, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Somalia's new president said on Friday it could take just one year to stabilise the Horn of Africa nation torn apart by 14 years of conflict and plagued by heavily armed militias.

 

Abdullahi Yusuf, elected on Oct. 10 by an interim parliament sitting in the security of neighbouring Kenya, has yet to return to his country. He has called for 20,000 African Union (AU) peacekeepers to support his fledgling administration.

 

"It is my firm belief, if we work together collectively, the time it will take to stabilise Somalia's situation may be much shorter than some of you expect," Yusuf said.

 

"If we all work hard we can complete Somalia's stabilisation in one year... (then) it is my belief African forces in Somalia will come back to their countries victorious and happy and having fulfilled their brotherly obligation."

 

Yusuf was addressing a news conference in Kampala after holding talks with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, chairman of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD). The regional east African body brokered two years of peace talks that led to Yusuf's transitional government.

 

At the end of a two-day meeting of security experts in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, participants urged the AU to speed up the deployment of peace monitors and said Yusuf's government should sign ceasefire agreements with other armed groups before the troops arrived.

 

"The transitional government should actively pursue efforts towards reconciliation and obtain the cooperation of all Somalia parties with the stabilisation force," the experts said in a statement.

 

The planned "restoration and protection force" is expected to monitor peace, disarm and demobilise the militias.

 

Museveni said African troops would be more culturally sensitive to the needs of a Somalia mission, comparing them with American troops who clashed with locals during the ill-fated U.S. peace mission a decade ago.

 

ENORMOUS CHALLENGES

 

Besides his call for peacekeepers, Yusuf also appealed to the international community for money to tackle the enormous challenges his administration faces in rebuilding Somalia's shattered infrastructure.

 

He said more than 300,000 people had been killed by the war, while an estimated 2 million Somalis had fled their homeland to escape the insecurity.

 

Despite continued tensions between Somalia's breakaway regions of Somaliland and Puntland, he said he remained optimistic.

 

"The warlords are no more. They are now MPs and soon they will be ministers. They have to put out the fires they have started, and they are ready to do that. There is no one who is now causing problems."

 

(Additional reporting by David Mageria in Nairobi)

 

Source: Reuters

[Che -Guevara]

Thats too ambitious, I think. Lets first see if he can go to mogadisho, and stabilise that place in one year let alone the entire Somalia.

[General Duke]

Nothing wrong with ambition. Mogadishu is by far the biggest obsticle, if the government can stabalise it the country would follow.

[BN]

I am in agreement with the president; if we work hard, together we can bring security and stability to our nation within a years time. In fact, most of our nation today(90%) is relatively peaceful with only minor upsurges now and then(Adhi caddey and areas of the capital come to mind). We have come a long way since 1991, and today one is more likely to see two corporations clashing than clans or warlords.

 

The only problem we face today is political, keeping the unity we have in Mbagathi when we return to Somalia; all else will fall into place. If we do so, I would be so bold as to say 6-12 months...

 

All those from Mogadish, I suggest you book your flights now...

[Rahima]

I too believe it is achievable, if not one year, two or three.

 

The warlords seem to be in agreement with the new government- at least the majority of them (they did elect the president after all), and they are the only real obstacles in terms of achieving peace.

 

Rebuilding though is another story.

 

All those from Mogadish, I suggest you book your flights now

Already have, and yes I am from Mogadishu. It is a Somali city, I have just as much right to it as the next Faarax and Xaliima (defensive mode I know- leave me alone ).

[General Duke]

Good on you Rahima, might see you in Mog soon.

[Jumatatu]

^^That is if you will come....

[Nationalist]

Insha Allah, I hope the president is right.

[General Duke]

Juma, I will go back to Mogadishu soon brother, I need not worry about accomodation got nuff family there