Somalia: Stage Set for High Level Consultative Meeting
in Mogadishu as proposed by the TFG
By Staff Writer
NAIROBI--- – Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General
Augustine P. Mahiga Thursday said that the High Level Consultative meeting on Somalia will take place as scheduled on the 12 and 13 April in Nairobi.
“We have received positive responses to the conference from Somali parties and officials
who are willing to participate in strengthening dialogue between the Transitional Federal
Government (TFG) and its partners”, said Mahiga.
The ambassador said he believes that some small groups that have reacted in protest to the conference do not fully understand the true aim of the meeting, resulting in
confusion surrounding the initiative.
“I believe some people have been misinformed about the objective of this meeting. The
UN has a role as a facilitator. Recent events within the Transitional Federal Institutions
(TFIs) have demonstrated that there has been a disruption in dialogue between the TFG
and its partners. It is my responsibility as facilitator, in accordance with the Djibouti
Peace Agreement, to assist the TFIs in reconciling their differences so that the peace
process can move forward. This meeting will pull into sharp focus the needs and tasks
that must be addressed to end the transition productively for the Somali people. The
outcome should be an agreed upon straight forward set of principles on how to move
forward with the peace process and end the current transition,” Ambassador Mahiga said.
He said that this meeting will also pave the way forward for another, follow-up meeting
in Mogadishu as proposed by the TFG.
Ambassador Mahiga said the UN, with the international community’s support stand ready
to facilitate this consultation and to support the TFG and the Somali people, but that it is up to the participants to make the meeting productive.