Sudan declines to participate in Somalia peacekeeping force
Jan 21, 2007 (KHARTOUM) –Sudan has declined to participate in the African peacekeeping force to Somalia, saying priority must be given to the realization of peace in the country.
Following a meeting on Sunday between Sudanese president Omar al-Bashir and the visiting Somali prime minister Ali Mohamed Gedi, the State Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ali Kerti, told the press that any foreign troops that are to be deployed n Somalia will be targeted by the Somali Islamists militia. He further said that Sudan prefers to focus efforts on the realization of the peace in Somalia.
The Sudanese official added that the Somali Government has changed its request from participation in the AU peacekeeping force to send forces to train the Somali Army, Police and Security forces as well as the civil administration.
The Somali Prime Minister had urged Sudan on Saturday during a meeting with the second Sudanese vice-president to resume its diplomatic representation in Mogadishu and also to participate in the AU peacekeeping force to Somalia.
The African force would protect transitional federal institutions, and maintain security in the county.
Al-Bashir affirmed to the Somali premier Sudan’s firm stance in maintaining the unity, security and stability of Somalia. He further affirmed the necessity of bringing together the Somali parties around the negotiating table toward achieving of political, security and social peace.
Upon the request of the Somali Prime Minister, President Al-Bashir voiced Sudan’s readiness to continue its efforts to bring together the Somali parties as well as pushing forward the peaceful dialogue process, the state-run SUNA reported.
On Friday 19 January, Gedi had reportedly rejected out of hand any mediation between his government and the deposed Islamic Courts Union on his arrival in Sudan.
President al-Bashir further pledged to support Somalia in the domains of education, services and capacity building and training of Somali army and police as well as re-opening the Sudanese Embassy in Mogadishu besides direct material support to Somalia.
The Sudanese state minister explained that the Somali government agreed on continuation by Sudan of its mediation as well as resumption of the Somali talks.
In March 2005, the African Union has authorized IGAD — which comprises Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and Uganda — to send peacekeepers to Somalia to help the country’s transitional government get a foothold there when it eventually relocates from exile in Nairobi.
Forces from Uganda and Sudan were supposed to form the vanguard of a 7500 strong regional peacekeeping mission to Somalia, at that time and after. But Somali warlord and Islamic courts opposition to deploying troops from neighboring Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Kenya has been fierce.
In December 2006, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a US-drafted resolution backing plans to dispatch a regional peacekeeping force in Somalia to prop up the wobbly transitional government there.
Since the control of the country by the Ethiopian backed Somali government forces the onoing project is to broaden the African forces to others force from another countries like South Africa, Nigeria and Rwanda.
(ST)