Nairobi, Kenya, November 09, 2006 – Kenya is lobbying the United Nations Security Council to lift an arms embargo on Somalia.

This would allow countries in the region to intervene and restore order in the lawless country, Foreign assistant minister Moses Wetang'ula said.

Mr. Wetangula

Mr. Wetang'ula said members of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) were unable to send a force to Somalia comprising soldiers from Uganda and Sudan due to the embargo.

He said although Igad had previously failed in their mission to convince the council to lift the embargo, there was hope with the looming change of guard in New York.

"The incoming UN secretary-general has promised to pursue the issue and lift the embargo. We have trained some policemen for them but we can't arm them," he said.

Mr. Wetang'ula asked countries in the region to assist in solving the situation in Somalia, which had contributed to increased cases of piracy, terrorism and influx of small arms.  

He was giving a ministerial statement requested last week by Vihiga MP Andrew Ligale (Narc) on the Somali crisis and fears that the Islamic Courts Union – the new dominant force in Mogadishu – planned to invade Puntland and Ethiopia to expand its territory.

Source: Daily Nation, Nov 9, 2006