The interim chairman of the African Union (AU), Amara Essy, has appointed a special envoy for Somalia, according to an AU press statement.
The envoy, Muhammad Ali Foum, who was appointed on Thursday, is a former Tanzanian diplomat. He is expected to travel in the coming days to the western Kenyan town of Eldoret, where Somali peace talks are currently underway, the statement said.
It added that the appointment comes within the framework of enhancing the AU's role in conflict resolution in Africa.
"As part of his mandate, Mr Foum will liaise with the countries of the region, with the IGAD [Intergovernmental Authority on Development] Secretariat, as well as with AU partners to see how best the African Union can support the ongoing efforts aimed at bringing to an end the conflict that has devastated Somalia for the past decade," the statement concluded.
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