Nation Reporter
March 10, 2006
Nairobi

A team of government officials is on a visit to Somalia's Parliament in Baidoa.

It is headed by Foreign Affairs assistant minister Danson Mungatana, who yesterday met president Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and prime minister Ali Gedi before he addressed the Somali MPs.

The Kenyans visited Baidoa, the transition government's seat, and signed a pact on security, humanitarian aid and disaster management.

Mr Mungatana promised the Somali leaders Kenya's continued help as they struggle to restore order in the war-weary Horn of Africa country.

He told the president that President Kibaki would meet him during the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) talks in Kenya on March 20.

The Garsen MP, who is the first senior Kenyan official to visit Somalia since the new government was inaugurated in Nairobi two years ago, said Kenya was willing to share its experience with the Somali Parliament.

With Mungatana are, among others, career diplomat Bethuel

He also discussed issues related to security, disaster management and humanitarian assistance with the leaders.

The assistant minister said the opening of Somali Parliament was key to building other institutions and Kenya was willing to share its parliamentary experience with the new Somali House.