Ethiopia’s PM reaffirms continued support to Somalia
By Tesfa-alem Tekle
May 4, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopian prime Minster Meles Zenawi today assures that his country Ethiopia, will continue its efforts to bring lasting peace and stability in the war torn Somalia.
The people of Somalia have been suffering a lot as stateless nation for the last 17 years. Meles said
UN special envoy to Somalia Ahmed Abidella during the talks said that reconciliation discussion among Opposition parties, clan leaders and Transitional Federal Government of Somalia (TFG) would be held in Djibouti.
After Conferring with the Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the Special envoy told journalists that the reconciliation discussions would bring a lasting solution.
Mean while African Union chief Jakaya Kikwete and Uganda’s president Yoweri Museveni have called on African countries to send more troops to Somalia to stabilize the volatile country and strengthen an AU force on the ground. AFP reports from Kampala
During a meeting Kikwete and Yoweri Museveni, whose country provides the largest number of men for the Somali peacekeeping force, agreed on “the need for more troops for AMISOM, and appealed to the countries that pledged troops to fulfill their pledges,” said a Ugandan statement made available to AFP late Friday.
AMISOM has been deployed in Somalia since March 2007 and is to ultimately number 8,000 men. It is currently made up of 1,650 Ugandan troops and 850 soldiers from Burundi.
(ST)