SECRETARY-GENERAL URGES TRANSITIONAL GOVERNMENT TO REACH OUT TO OTHER GROUPS IN SOMALIA

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General has been closely following recent developments in Somalia.  He believes a new opportunity may exist for the Transitional Federal Government to establish its full authority in the country.  He urges the transitional authorities to reach out to other groups in the country, with the aim of fostering dialogue and engaging in an all-inclusive political process that can lead to stability, peace and reconciliation, as envisaged in the Transitional Federal Charter.

The Secretary-General welcomes the stated intention of Ethiopia to withdraw its forces expeditiously and calls on all States in the region to respect Somalia’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. 

The Secretary-General also welcomes the announcements by some African countries of their readiness to deploy peacekeepers to the protection and training mission decided upon by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union, and hopes that this mission can be put in place as quickly as possible.

The Secretary-General calls on all Somali parties and the international community to seize the current moment and do their utmost to end the heavy loss of life, displacement and suffering that have plagued the country.  The United Nations will continue to do its part to support these efforts and to help Somalis build a country based on human rights and respect for the rule of law.

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