Matthew Russell Lee of Inner City Press at the UN

Gedi at UN, June 28, 2007

UNITED NATIONS, June 28 - Somali citizens, even members of the parliament, "cannot just overnight go to the airport" and leave the country, Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said Thursday at the UN.

Inner City Press twice asked Gedi about some of those blocked from traveling. The first time, Gedi said "your question is truthless."

The second time, confronted with the names of Osman Ali Hassan Atto and Abdirashid Mohamed Hidig , Gedi said, "They didn't have permission from parliament." Asked if they would now be given permission, Gedi said "that is between the MPs and the Speaker."

Former defense minister Col. Barre "Hirale" Adan Shire, who was targeted with a car bomb earlier this week, has accused Gedi and President Yusuf of being behind it . Inner City Press asked Gedi about the charge. "Normal banditry," he said in response.

Currently in Somalia there are 1500 Ugandan troops, Gedi said. There have been pledges of troops for an African Union force, from Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, Benin and Nigeria. One correspondent asked if during Gedi's talks with the UN Security Council, any other country had expressed a willingness to contribute troops to a UN force.

Gedi answered that the time to contribute would be if and when the Security Council passes a resolution authorizing a UN force for Somalia. Given the UN's experience in Somalia in the early 1990s, and the continued violence there, such a move by the Security Council appears unlikely.

Speaking to reporters Thursday morning, the UK's Permanent Representative to the UN Emyr Jones Parry said, "we will support" a UN peacekeeping force for Somalia if Gedi "goes out and promotes national reconciliation."

Gedi later confirmed that the budget for the twice-postponed National Reconciliation Congress is $32 million, of which $8 million has now been pledged by the European Commission and the United States. (The question of who has been paying the TFG's police was not able to be asked, but the question is pending.) Gedi said that the meeting will begin on July 15 in Mogadishu.  We'll see.

For now, the proposed budget of the National Reconciliation Congress, as provided to Inner City Press by Mogadishu sources, who say that the numbers are inflated --

NATIONAL RECONCILIATION CONGRESS BUDGET

In US dollars  USS

I.  PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES: 250.000.00
1. Preparation, publication and Distribution of NRC documents
2. Appointment of Key Sub-committees
3. Recruitment of Key Personnel
4. Identification of NRC sites in Mogadishu
5. Establishment of contacts with external consultants, Advisory Board, Resources Persons and international organizations

II.   OFFICIAL LAUNCHING OF NRC ACTIVITIES  4,000.000.00
1. Development of Peace, Reconciliation and    Communication Package 2,000,000.00
a)  Mobilization of national media
b)  Organization of workshops, seminars, public Debates .etc
c)  Organization of poetry and drama scripts and Organization of theatre
d) Promotion of Qur'an reading, poetry recitation, Sports and inter-regional folklore contests.
e)  Awareness campaign materials: T-shirts, bill-board, postcards, and calendars .etc
2.   ACTIVITIES OF JUMP-STARTING THE NRC AT REGIONAL LEVEL: 2.000.000.00
a) Visits and tours of Federal MPs and National Commissions to their constituencies. 800,000.00
b) Provision of support funds to regional and district administrations for the selection process. 1,200,000.00

III.      ESTABLISHMENT OF NRC FACILITIES 6,000.000.00
1.  Rehabilitation and remodeling of NRC Conference Halls. 2,300,000.00
2.  Plenary, Committees and Secretariat seating and working facilities 700,000.00
3.  Rooms, chairs, tables, etc
a)  Ventilation system ( Air-conditioners, fans, etc)
b)  Public address systems
c)  Electric generators
d) Technical equipments) Computers with heavy duty printers and photocopy machines, fax machines, internet access and accessories).
e)  Water and sanitation at NRC sites.
4.   ESTABLISHMENT OF SECURITY SYSTEM 500,000.00
a) Gate-scans
b) Handheld detectors
c) Walky-talkies
d) Vehicles with mounted Radio.
5.   TRANSPORT 2,500,000.00
Purchase of:
a)  Large buses
b)  4-wheel drive picks for security support
c)  Ambulances
d) Motto-cycles for traffic and security use

IV.      NRC GENERAL MEETING 8,400.000.00
1.         ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT 500,000.00
a)  National Governance and Reconciliation Committee
b) TFIs Support Organs (Ministerial Committee, Parliamentary Committee and National Reconciliation Commission).
c)  Secretariat
d)  Operational Sub-committees
e)  Support personnel
2.       NRC TECHNICAL SUPPORT 1,000,000.00
a)  Local Advisory Board
b)  Post-conflict societies's Reconciliation  Experts ( Rwanda, South-Africa, etc).
c)  International Consultants on reconciliation strategy
d)  International Technical assistance
e)  Security Support
3.         PARTICIANTS 6.000.000.00
a)  Transport 1,500,000.00
i)   Participants
ii)  Diaspora
iii) Post-conflict resource persons
b) Accommodation and catering: 4,500,000.00
i)  Participants
ii) Observers
4.         PROCUREMENT AND OPERATIONAL EXPENSES 900.000.00
a) Opening and Closing Ceremonies 100,000.00
b) Office rent and facilities for the Preparatory Committee 20,000.00
c) Vehicle rentals ( buses, lorries And cars 100,000.00
d) Fuel and lubricants 150,000.00
e) Stationery and supplies 50,000.00
f)  Medicare 150,000.00
g) Communication charges 50,000.00
h) Public relations and entertainment 200,000.00
i)  Consumables 30,000.00
j)  Miscellaneous 50,000.00

V. PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION 50,000.00 OF NRC RESOLUTIONS
VI.PREPARATORY ACTIVITIES FOR THE REGIONAL/DISTRICT GOVERNANCE AND RECONCILIATION COUNCILS 100,000.00
SUB-TOTAL 18,800,000.00
VII. UNFORSEEN EXPENSES (about 10%) 1,880,000.00
TOTAL 20,680.000.00

Estimated Budget for the Regional/District Governance and Reconciliation Councils as follow-up of the NRC at National Level (58% of twenty million six hundred eighty) 12,000,000

GRAND TOTAL 32,680,000

Source: Inner City Press