Ethiopia says committed to support Somali government

April 19, 2009 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopia would continue its support to the new Somali government and honor its commitment to provide capacity building, said yesterday the Ethiopian Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin.

The minister made these remakes during a meeting held on Saturday with the visiting Somali delegation led by Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke.

Mesfin stressed the support of his government to the new Somali government led by Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed the former leader of Islamic courts that Ethiopia had ousted from power in 2006. He further added that Ethiopia would back the ongoing efforts in the neighbouring country to bring peace and stability.

The minister however pointed out the need to enable Somali to manage their country after 18 years of political instability and internal conflicts. He also urged the international community to redouble its assistance to the nascent national unity government.

Ethiopia pulled out its troops from Somalia in January 2009 in order to facilitate a UN backed process to reconcile the warring parties there.

Mesfin said supporting efforts to bring stability in Somalia will eradicate from its source the disturbing piracy in the Red Sea.

“The fight against piracy should go hand in hand with practical moves towards building the capacity of the government in Somalia,” he said.

(ST)