US and EU express support for peace agreement

The US and the EU have expressed support for the recent agreement between the various Somali groups attending a peace conference in Kenya. Somalia's various political factions and the Transitional National Government signed the agreement on 29 January, thereby paving the way for the selection of parliamentarians, who will in turn elect a president. Kenyan Foreign Minister Kalonzo Musyoka described the agreement as "a momentous achievement and a landmark breakthrough". In a statement, the US State Department said that the US government "commends" the signing of the agreement. "By signing this agreement, the Somalis have demonstrated their ability to overcome differences, increase their capacity to formulate workable compromises and begin reaching out to former adversaries in the interest of providing a way forward for the Somali people," it said. However, the statement cautioned that the signing of the agreement, albeit significant, "is just one critical step in what will still be a long and difficult process". It urged Somalis to ensure that the momentum was not lost. In its statement, the EU praised the Somali leaders and called upon them "to ensure that the same spirit of positive cooperation prevails during the third and final phase of the conference, and that a comprehensive and all-inclusive solution is found to the long-lasting crisis in Somalia".