Annan wants to form "committee of friends"

Concerned over the lack of progress in Somalia's peace process, and the deteriorating humanitarian situation, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is considering establishing a "committee of friends" for Somalia, a UN report issued on Monday said. In his latest report on Somalia to the Security Council, Annan said he intended to "consult all concerned on the feasibility of setting up a committee of friends of Somalia to focus on ways and means of drawing attention to Somalia's needs in the area of national reconciliation, as well as to help mobilize funds for rehabilitation and development". The membership of the committee would include representatives from the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) countries and from the IGAD Partners' Forum countries, and be chaired jointly by the Secretary-General's representative to Somalia and a representative of IGAD, said the report. In the same report the Annan expressed concern over the human rights situation in the country. Despite the efforts of UN and other humanitarian agencies, large sections of the Somali population continued to suffer as a result of internal conflict, with little hope of improvement in their living conditions, the report said. Annan said the situation was exacerbated by lack of security, which was preventing relief workers from reaching populations in need. In this context, the Secretary-General renewed his call on donors to respond to the consolidated appeals process, and contribute to ongoing and future development programmes in Somalia.