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Nairobi,
October 24, 2009 (SL Times) – Somalia’s Prime Minister, Omar Abdirashid
Ali Sharmarke, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs,
Lynn Pascoe, and the UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou
Ould-Abdallah, have called for an urgent increase in international
support for Somalia.
Opening the first meeting of the newly constituted High Level Committee,
the Somali Prime Minister said the Government was working to provide
basic services and reach out to moderate political groups and
individuals, but required the continued backing of the international
community.
This was echoed by Mr Pascoe, who was in Nairobi to discuss both Kenya
and Somalia. He has also visited Angola, Burundi, South Africa and
Uganda on his tour of Africa.
“Now is the time to move to action, not the time to talk,” said Mr
Pascoe. “This is an excellent opportunity to turn around the terrible
situation of the last 18 years in Somalia.”
At the end of the meeting a communiqué was issued which welcomed the
opening of a “new approach in the relationship between Somalia and the
International Community.”
The High Level Committee was established under Article 9 of the Djibouti
Agreement to encourage dialogue between the then Government and
opposition. In its new format, it remains open to dialogue while
bringing together the Somali Government and the international community
to ensure a coherent approach to implementing the Djibouti Agreement in
areas including security, governance, justice and reconciliation,
humanitarian, rehabilitation, reconstruction and development.
Source: UNPOS Pres Release, October 23, 2009
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