UN gives green light to prepare for peace mission

The UN Security Council last week said preparations should begin for a "comprehensive peace-building mission" in Somalia.

A presidential statement, read out by Ambassador Ole Peter Kolby of Norway on 28 March, said active preparations on the ground should consist of community based peace-building; disarmament and reintegration of militias; quick impact projects to improve security; increasing women's participation at all levels of peace-building; intensifying the dialogue on humanitarian and development issues; and AIDS education.

"The Security Council requests the Secretary-General as a matter of urgency and under the current circumstances...to coordinate ongoing peace-building activities and provide for their incremental expansion, including staff strengthening, in a coherent manner and in accordance with the security arrangements," the statement said.

The Council reiterated its support for the Arta peace process which brought in the Transitional National Government (TNG), saying it remained the "most viable basis for peace and national reconciliation".

It expressed concern over the "continued flow of weapons and ammunition supplies to Somalia from other countries, and the reported training of militia and plans for major offensives in southern and northeastern parts of the country".

"The Council insists that no state, in particular those of the region, should interfere in the internal affairs of Somalia," the statement said. "The Council insists that the territory of Somalia should not be used to undermine stability in the subregion."

It added that it would institute a monitoring system to ensure compliance with an arms embargo on the country, stressing that "efforts to combat terrorism in Somalia are inseparable from the establishment of peace and governance in the country".