Nairobi, Kenya, October 8, 2011 – Prime Minister Raila Odinga has called on the international community to take advantage of the semblance of peace and stability in Somalia to engage fully and help restore order in the troubled county.

He also appealed to the international community to borrow some lessons from Somaliland and help restore stability in greater Somalia.

The PM was speaking on Wednesday when he received delegation of Somaliland government officials in his office today.

The officials had been to the Daadab refugee camp in northern Kenya, where they donated relief food and other supplies valued at $250,000.

The money was part of the $700,000 raised by the people of the region to help drought and famine victims in trouble-ridden Somalia.

Members of the delegation said they were in the country to witness the conditions for the mostly Somali refugees and the burden Kenya is bearing.

The PM emphasized that much as the international community may fear the perils of engaging in Somalia, inaction is not an option.

Mr. Odinga described the donation as a demonstration of brotherhood, and a very strong statement and manifestation of the Somali tradition of sharing the little that is available.

The PM used the occasion to appeal to the international community to engage meaningfully in restoring the greater Somalia.

Mr. Odinga said that while the recent tragic state of affairs, including drought-induced famine was not exactly unexpected, the world must not squander the current chance to engage with Somalia.

He said the relative calm currently existing offers the international community a rare chance to reengage in a broader search for real peace process that would enable the country reach a durable political settlement. Positive political and military developments have created a momentum that offer some hope, the PM said.

He said Kenya is paying a big price for the instability in Somalia and is keen to see peace and stability return to that country.

Mr. Odinga said Kenya has taken a lead role in seeking stability in the Horn of Africa, but emphasized that little would be achieved unless the international community helps restore order in Somalia.

He said Kenya has gone to great lengths to ensure the trouble in Somalia remain in focus, including the recent conference on the Horn of Africa Drought and Refugee Crisis held in Nairobi last month.

He said the international community could learn from the stability in Somaliland and use the experiences of that break-away state to restore the Republic of Somalia.

Source: KBC

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