Annan calls for reconciliation

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has called for reconciliation and rehabilitation in Somalia, saying these were among the Horn of Africa's key concerns. In this respect, he urged Somali leaders to put aside their differences.

In a message to the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) summit, which convened in the Sudanese capital Khartoum on Thursday, Annan said that IGAD member countries and other states in the region "can and must contribute constructively to peace efforts" in Somalia.

"The United Nations will help Somalia heal its wounds and achieve progress, including by way of the deployment of a post-conflict peace-building mission should the security situation permit," he said. "But no amount of goodwill, support and assistance on the part of the of IGAD or the international community alone will bring about peace in Somalia. Only Somalia's leaders can decide to end the suffering of their people. They need to rise above their differences and put the interest of the people of Somalia first and foremost."

Annan went on to say that IGAD member countries faced formidable challenges, including drought, environmental degradation and conflict, which had threatened food security and led to massive displacements of people.

"The United Nations, through its peace and security mechanism and the full panoply of its development and humanitarian agencies, will continue to be IGAD's partner as you confront these challenges, and as you seek to seize the opportunities of globalisation and bring an era of peace and development to all your countries' peoples," Annan said.

The Secretary-General's message was delivered by his Special Adviser, Mohamed Sahnoun, who is due to arrive in Nairobi, Kenya on Sunday for consultations on Somalia. He is expected to stay in the Kenyan capital until 17 January.