Israel says Gaza ceasefire will end if Hamas does not free hostages by Saturday    Trump insists US will take Gaza as he meets Jordan's King Abdullah    Russia releases imprisoned American in what US calls a step toward end of Ukraine war    Musk denies 'hostile takeover' of government in White House debut    Saudi Air Force to participate in Cobra Warrior 25-1 exercise in UK    Saudi Arabia assumes presidency of GlobeE anti-corruption network    GACA chief affirms Saudi support for innovation in civil aviation sector    Sanofi is transferring its global expertise in insulin production to Saudi Arabia, aligning with Vision 2030 program    FM Prince Faisal leads Saudi delegation attending AI Action Summit in Paris    60 Saudi relief trucks cross Hail en route to Syria    Maya Diab joins Arab stars and celebrities in celebrating the Centrepoint Ramadan 2025 collection launch at Riyadh Boulevard    Riyadh Season draws 19 million visitors in 4 months    Schools across Saudi Arabia start celebrating Founding Day in an air of festivity    Oilatum tackles rise in Eczema and Dry Skin in Saudi Arabia    HONOR brings together AI and luxury with PORSCHE DESIGN HONOR Magic7 RSR at LEAP 2025    Eagles win Super Bowl LIX to end the Chiefs' dream of a three-peat    Chinese film stirs national pride, rakes in $1bn in days    Sharifa Al-Sudairi makes historic debut at Asian Winter Games    Ivan Toney's brace secures Al Ahli victory over Al Fateh in Saudi Pro League    Al Nassr reclaims third place with 3-0 victory over Al Fayha as Jhon Durán shines    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



U.N. envoy in Somali capital to push for inclusive reconciliation conference
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 11 - 05 - 2007


The U.N. special envoy to
Somalia arrived in the troubled capital Friday to push for
an inclusive reconciliation conference, as the U.N.'s
refugee agency said people displaced by recent fighting
were gradually returning.
U.N. envoy Francois Fall met with Somalia's President
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi
on his first visit here since government troops backed by
Ethiopians ejected Islamic militias from Mogadishu, after
some of the deadliest fighting in more than a decade, according to AP.
«Among the agendas we discussed with the government were
security, human rights and dialogue with the dominant
Hawiye clan,» Fall said in a brief news conference held in
a hotel in the north of the capital. He said that ways to
secure funding for the planned June 14 reconciliation
conference also were discussed.
Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi, who spoke briefly, said
his discussion with the U.N. envoy had ended in a mutual
understanding.
«I am happy to meet with the U.N. envoy and I think, the
world would no longer turn a deaf ear to the needs of the
Somali people,» Gedi said.
Earlier, Per Lindgarde, the U.N.'s deputy envoy for
Somalia, had said in neighboring Kenya that Fall would urge
the country's top officials to create a conducive
environment before the reconciliation conference and to
improve security in the capital.
The U.N., the U.S. and the European Union have repeatedly
called on the transitional government to reach out to the
moderate elements of the ousted Islamic courts and to adopt
an inclusive government.
«The government should open dialogue with all those who
are ready for the reconciliation conference,» said
Lindgarde, adding that anyone who renounces violence should
be allowed to take part.
He said the U.N. also stresses the need for the
reconciliation commission to be independent, as the
president, who first proposed the conference, has promised
it would be.
On Friday, UNHCR said almost 400,000 people have fled
Mogadishu since the beginning of February, when the last
round of fighting began, according to data provided to it
by a network of aid agencies. The agency said people were
returning to areas where no fighting occurred, but they
lacked food, water and medicine.
«Families who used to live in neighborhoods affected by
the fighting are still reluctant to go back, mainly because
of the reported presence of soldiers from the (government)
and allied Ethiopian troops,» UNHCR said in a statement.
«Civilians fear that, should they go back, they might be
caught once more in the crossfire if the fighting
resumes.»
The UNHCR said some 250,000 people who fled during the
recent fighting in Mogadishu were unable to return because
of insecurity or because their houses were destroyed.
The reconciliation conference had been scheduled for
April, but was postponed several times.
The chairman of the organizing committee, Ali Mahdi
Mohmamed, said in April that the conference was postponed
because his committee had not received money to run it.
The African Union's special representative for Somalia,
Mohamed Ali Foum, arrived Thursday in Mogadishu, and said
he and Fall would emphasize the need to encourage peace and
reconciliation.
«We asked the government to include all the Somali
stake-holders, those who want peace, and the clan elders
into the conference,» Foum said.
Somalia has been mired in chaos since 1991, when warlords
overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned
against each other. A national government was established
in 2004, but has struggled to assert any real control.
-- SPA


Clic here to read the story from its source.