Somalia experts gathered in Finland believe in peace

Helsinki Times
Thursday, 12 August 2010

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“SOMALIS themselves must lead the country’s peace process. In particular, Somalis living abroad have much to give, it was concluded at an international seminar held in Helsinki last week. Those present did not consider Somalia a lost case yet, although the humanitarian crisis has reached its worst during the 20-year history of the conflict.

‘The participants became convinced that the fighters can be persuaded to make peace,’ Arshe Said, co-chairman of the seminar and representative of the Somali League in Finland said at the press conference on 5 August.

The seminar, organized by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the European Parliamentarians for Africa (AWEPA) group of the Finnish Parliament, Finn Church Aid and Somali NGOs, sought means to untangle Somalia’s knotty peace process.

Later, a report on the participants’ recommendations will be published and distributed, among others, to UN actors in Somalia. The participants were satisfied with the discussions, as the event succeeded in bringing together people who don’t even talk with one another otherwise…”

Source: Helsinki Times

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