UN to play an "enhanced role" in Somalia - Annan

The UN's Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said that the current circumstances in Somalia may make it appropriate for the UN to play an "enhanced role" in the country and proposes that the Security Council consider a two-front approach to the ongoing crisis. In a report to the Council on Wednesday Annan said that while the negotiated settlement of the crisis has continued to be "elusive" some "important" steps forward have been made. "Within Somalia itself, there is increasing evidence that ordinary Somalis are tired of violence and are pressuring their leaders to opt for peace," he said. He said that the UN working impartially and objectively and within the Joint Intergovernmental Authority on Development, "should do more to help bring about national unity and the restoration of a Somali national government." Annan suggested that the UN conduct a general review of its role in Somalia, including the possibility of relocating some UN programmes and agencies to the country and that a trust fund be established "to provide financial support for the emerging process." He asked donor institutions to be "flexible" and "creative" in light of regulations that require them to cooperate only with established state institutions which Somalia lacks.

On the humanitarian front he said that although UN agencies and their partners have continued to deliver much needed food aid to Somalia, their operational capacities have been gradually eroded, primarily because of inadequate donor support. This was reflected in the weak response to the UN's 1999 Consolidated appeal which was "severely prioritised and focused in response to donor wishes," he added.

Twenty communities vote to disown Aideed

Twenty communities voted to disown faction leader Hussein Aideed's administration hence to stop collecting taxes on its behalf after a near three-week-long meeting, BBC reported on Tuesday. They opted to set up their own independent administration saying that they had support for the former governor of the region who was loyal to Aideed.