Inter-governmental organisations call for reconciliation

A group of inter-governmental organisations operating in Somalia has welcomed progress made by the Somali National Reconciliation Conference (SNRC) and urged the international community to assist the country's newly formed institutions.

The organisations, in a statement issued in Nairobi on Thursday, said "support must also be given to local authorities, traditional leaders and civil society to create an effective, strong and accountable Somali system."

"Particular attention must be given to the formation of a society respectful of human rights and the protection of the most vulnerable," they added.

The statement quotes Zoë Daniels, the NGO consortium’s focal point as saying: "We believe that Somalia has made tremendous progress towards establishing a new government after over a decade of conflict. At this critical time we encourage the Security Council to assist the Somali people to reconcile and establish the strong foundations on which to build a just and lasting peace."

It went on to say that for reconstruction, rehabilitation and development to proceed, a peaceful and stable environment must be established through "a reconciliation process at all levels, including a comprehensive ceasefire agreement and a monitoring and sanctions system". The statement was signed by 20 organisations.

Delegates attending the Somali reconciliation conference in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, formed a transitional federal parliament in September. The 275 members of the assembly elected Col Abdullahi Yusuf as the country's president on 10 October. The president in turn appointed Ali Muhammad Gedi as prime minister, and is expected to form a government.