African Union calls on UN to send peacekeepers to Somalia

December 10, 2008 (ADDIS ABABA) — The African Union has called today on the United Nations Chief to send troops to Somalia to shoulder African soldiers who are facing attacks by Somali Islamists insurgents.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, AU Chairman Jean Ping “once again appeals to the UN Security Council to shoulder its responsibilities and authorise, without any further delay, the deployment of a UN operation in Somalia.”

Also, the AU top peace and security official, Ramtane Lamamra, who is already arrived to New York, is expected to hold talks on Thursday with the UN officials in a bid to persuade to support the weak Somali government, particularly after the announced pullout of Ethiopian troops.

Actually the African Union officials have much of concern about the “security vaccum” that would be soon created by the withdrawal of the 3000 Ethiopian troops by the end of the year.

The contingent of African peacekeeping mission in Somalia AMISOM was initially estimated at 8000 soldiers but it has only 3,400 Burundian and Ugandan soldiers. The African mission lost at least nine of its members who were killed in Somalia since their deployment in March 2007.

The AU statement stressed that: “The deployment of a peacekeeping operation in support of the ongoing political process, and the significant achievements made in this respect, will go a long way in creating conditions for durable reconciliation, peace and stability in Somalia.”

Ethiopia sent troops to Somalia in 2006 to oust the Islamic Courts Union, a radical group that had conquered most of the country and was imposing a strict form of Sharia law.

The return of an Islamist leader to the country today to Mogadishu could help the African effort to gain the support of the international community in Somalia.

Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed’s Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) has returned to the Somali capital two years after being driven from power. Ahmed arrival follows a peace deal he signed in Djibouti with the government.

His Islamist rival Sheikh Hassan Aweys accused him of siding with the enemy. Al-Shabab insurgent group that controls much of southern Somalia rejected the peace deal.

(ST)