NASSIR Posted April 15, 2007 April 13 , 2007. Text of report by Kenyan television NTV on 13 April [Presenter] The IGAD Council of Ministers is tonight calling for a speedy deployment of the remaining AU peacekeepers to Somalia. A joint communique released by the Council is also calling on the international community to offer financial and logistical support to the Somali peacekeeping mission, and as Abdi Osman reports the discussions were not all that rosy. [Reporter] Sixteen years since the fall of Siyad Barre's regime, there seems to be no respite to the Somali problem. Fierce fighting between pro and anti-government forces in the capital, Mogadishu, has left hundreds dead and displaced tens of thousands more. At the Grand Regency Hotel [in Nairobi], the IGAD council of ministers met to discuss, among other things the unfolding situation in Somalia and the implementation of the Sudanese comprehensive peace agreement. They later released a joint communique, that among other things expressed IGAD concern about mounting insecurity in Mogadishu, but there was a near diplomatic stand off when Eritrea objected the inclusion in the communique of a clause, paying tribute to Ethiopia's role in Somalia [Tuju] Well, the rest of the members of IGAD were unanimous in support of the position, Eritrea did expressed reservations specifically on two items. [Reporter] Tuju said the Somali problem needs the support of locals there. [Tuju] The deployment of troops will not solve the problem if the Somalis themselves don't want to agree to live together in peace. [Reporter] IGAD wants countries that pledged to contribute troops to Amisom, the AU peacekeeping mission in Somalia, to honour their side of the bargain. [Tuju] You find a country like Nigeria which is a very important contributor in terms of troops and they have got a lot of experience, international training and so forth to do this kind of work, they are in midst of an election, the same is with respect to Benin. [Reporter] The AU has confirmed that not all is well with Amisom. The African Union's chairperson, Said Djinnit, says the mission has been hard hit by cash crunch and logistical hiccups. The joint IGAD communique also called on Sweden and Italy to urgently convene an international conference that will seek funds for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Somalia. Source: NTV, Nairobi, in English 1800 gmt 13 Apr 07 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
