SOMALIA: Reconciliation conference set for April

NAIROBI, 15 February 2002 (IRIN) - Regional ministers meeting in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, have agreed to set up a technical committee to prepare for a Somali reconciliation conference, set for the second half of April. A communique, issued at the end of day-long talks on Thursday, said Kenya would convene the conference which would include Somalia's Transitional National Government (TNG) and other Somali parties. The meeting, which brought together ministers of the regional grouping Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), decided that the technical committee would comprise the states bordering Somalia - namely Ethiopia, Djibouti and Kenya. Its mandate includes drawing up the terms of reference for the conference and deciding on participation. According to the statement, the ministerial committee meeting expressed "grave concern" over the situation in Somalia over the last decade. "While noting that the frontline states had borne the socio-economic fallout of the crisis, it further noted that the conflict in Somalia had resulted in an exodus of refugees to neighbouring countries and that arms destined to factions had contributed to illicit trade and proliferation of small arms, leading to insecurity," the statement said. "It was noted that a worsening of the security situation in Somalia could have a disastrous impact on the precarious humanitarian situation in the country," it added. The statement further said that the ministers "welcomed the TNG's willingness to cooperate with the international community in combating terrorism". "The Committee recognised the achievements attained thus far in the reconciliation process in the endeavour to work towards establishing an all-inclusive political framework in Somalia," it stated. The ministerial committee urged all Somali political leaders to participate in the reconciliation process "in the interest of their people and country". The meeting brought together the foreign ministers of Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and Kenya, and foreign ministry officials from Eritrea and Uganda.