SRSG urges collective and focused support for Somalia

For Immediate Release

PRESS RELEASE 031/2009

Nairobi, 16 November 2009 – The UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah (SRSG) held a meeting with Louise Arbour, President and CEO of the International Crisis Group on the final day of an ICG conference held in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam.

The SRSG also held a discussion with Bernard Membe Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tanzania. 

The SRSG congratulated Ms. Arbour on her new appointment as head of the ICG and briefed her on Somalia.  He explained that the best ways to strengthen stability in the country is through the continued support of the Government, helping it to be a more effective representative of the country and a stronger partner to the international community.   

“The time has come to put an end to the long Somali crisis with this new approach of full engagement and effective action in the field. For this undertaking, additional resources are needed,” the SRSG said.

He also noted with satisfaction Tanzania’s interest for stability in Somalia.

Also on Somalia, the SRSG noted with appreciation the European Union’s Council of Ministers’ recent statement of a proposed plan to train up to 2,000 Somali police and military personnel. The SRSG said he is convinced that this generous package includes the training, equipment and payment of salaries for at least one year.

The EU’s statement came as the Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was attending the Saudi-East African Forum in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa to rally for regional economic cooperation.

“The International Community must accelerate and focus its efforts in all ways to support the Government so that the Somalis have a solid foundation on which to build, and that foundation should be in place by the end of this Government’s mandate in August 2011 if we are to see a transformed Somalia,” the SRSG said.

From the Security Council, the SRSG said he expected to see concrete measures taken at its upcoming meeting on piracy slated for 19 November. The African Union and the regional organization IGAD have made a number of statements and proposals on security and piracy off the Somali coast.