Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, President Kibaki of Kenya, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed of Somalia
by PPS
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Kenya, Uganda and Somalia have urged regional solidarity to bring to an end the state of lawlessness that has prevailed in Somalia over the last two decades.
President Kibaki of Kenya, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Sheikh Sharif Ahmed of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia expressed confidence that the joint Kenya-Somali operation presents the region with an historic opportunity to restore stability and security in Somalia.
In a Communiqué read by the Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula after a tripartite meeting, the Heads of State emphasised the need for enhanced coordination between Amisom, TFG and Kenya Defence Forces in order to successfully defeat Al Shabaab and other militant groups that continue to threaten peace and stability in the horn of Africa and internationally.
Discussing the status of the joint Kenya-Somalia security operation against Al Shabaab insurgents, the leaders noted with satisfaction the gains already made by TFG, Amisom and KDF forces and stressed the need to galvanize international support.
The leaders, who met at State House Nairobi, also reviewed the political and security developments in Somalia and observed that the protracted conflict had generated numerous problems including terrorism, organized crime, influx of illegal arms, the refugee crisis and internally displaced persons in Somalia.
The Heads of State further paid tribute to Amisom and the Troop Contributing Countries (TCC) for their continued sacrifices in the pursuit of peace and security in Somalia which has resulted in the liberation of Mogadishu and its environs.
They stressed the need for enhanced engagement by IGAD in galvanizing international support for the joint Kenya-Somalia operation with a view to building on the momentum created by the joint operation.
Noting with appreciation the decision of Djibouti to provide troops to Amisom by the end of the year, the leaders called on other African countries which have pledged contribution of troops to Amisom to urgently fulfill their pledges.
The tripartite meeting also welcomed Kenya’s willingness to contribute troops to Amisom, saying the United Nations Security Council resolution number 1744 of 2007 removed restrictions preventing states that border Somalia from deploying troops in the country.
The leaders, once again, reaffirmed previous commitments endorsed by the 41st Extra-Ordinary IGAD Council of Ministers on 21st October, 2011, to jointly pursue the objective of defeating Al Shabaab and other militant groups to its logical conclusion.
The Heads of States, at the same time, endorsed resolutions passed by the Ministers of Defence and Chiefs of Defence Staff of Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) and other interested countries at their informal meetings held in Addis Ababa on 25th and 26th October 2011 on the consolidation, co-ordination and expansion of Amisom.
On the influx of Somali refugees to Kenya, the leaders called on humanitarian aid agencies to relocate to the secure parts of Southern Somalia to provide humanitarian assistance closer to the famine-stricken communities in a more effective manner.
The tripartite meeting was attended by foreign affairs and Defence ministers from the three countries among other senior government officials.
Source: PPS