Is the End in Sight? For Somalia Peace talks

Djibouti (HAN), January 07, 2004

The IGAD and IPF are about to sign a peace agreement that should permanently stabilize Somalia after 13 years of civil war. This will isolate Major warlord still further. The Somalia warlords cannot survive for long without fresh arms and a safe haven in the frontline states. The casualties among their top agendas in the last two months are proof of that. Perhaps the end is indeed in sight!

President Museveni and his counterpart Kibaki are expected to launch peace talks for warring factions in Somalia. The talks, to last 10 days, will be held in Mombasa.

Museveni, who is chairman of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development IGAD), is expected to chair the talks aimed at ending a decade long civil strife in Somali. "He is going to participate and as chairman of IGAD he has been very active in the peace process,"

Museveni's press secretary, Mary Karooro Okurut said yesterday. She, however, said Museveni's participation was yet to be confirmed. Museveni is expected in Kenya on Thursday and will meet leading Somali politicians ahead of the "retreat" in Mombasa, Kenyan Foreign affairs minister Kalonzo Musyoka said yesterday.

Musyoka warned that Somali faction leaders who failed to attend would face unspecified sanctions.

We can say that any leader who refuses to attend the retreat would be regarded an obstacle to peace in Somalia and would be treated accordingly by the regional governments," said Musyoka.

Somali warlords, clan leaders, interim government officials and representatives from civil society have since October 2002 been attending talks aimed at restoring the first semblance of a national administration in Somalia.

Source: Horn Africa Newsline -, Djibouti, in French 7 January 04

Uganda, Norway discuss security situation in Somalia, Horn and Great Lakes region

KAMPALA, Jan. 7 (HAN) -- Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni and Norwegian Minister for International Development Hilde Johnsonon discussed the security situation in the Horn and Great Lakes region and the attempt to bring about peace and stability in the Sudan and Somalia.

The discussion was held when the visiting Norwegian minister called on the Ugandan president at his home in Rwakitura, Nyabushozi county in Mbarara district in southern Uganda, according to a press release issued by the State House.

Museveni expressed his gratitude to the Norwegian government for its endless efforts in bringing about peace and stability in the Horn and Great Lakes region and particularly the Sudan and Somalia, saying that as the current chairman of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) he is determined to work with all partners to ensure that harmony and stability returns to the countries of Somalia and Sudan.

Johnson hailed the president for his efforts as the regional chairman of the Somalia peace initiative and appealed to him to continue supporting all peaceful means aimed at bringing about peace in the Horn and Great Lakes region.

Museveni and Johnson also discussed a wide range of regional matters as well as issues of bilateral importance between Uganda and Norway.

The Norwegian minister hailed the relationship between Uganda and Norway and said that her country has put Uganda among countries that will benefit from the Norwegian private sector promotion program. Enditem

Moi Meets German MPs For Somalia Peace Talks!

HAN Monitoring in Djibouti, January 07, 2004

Former President Moi yesterday held talks with a delegation of German MPs on the Somali peace process.

Briefing the Press after the talks at his Kabarnet Gardens residence in Nairobi, Moi said they also discussed how best to resolve the conflict in the horn of Africa.

The retired Head of State hoped Germany, a member of the European Union, would help Africa - and Kenya in particular - to work towards achieving peace in Somalia. Kenya is the facilitator of peace talks for the war-torn country.

Mr Hans Butener, a member of the German Foreign Affairs Committee, said he hoped positive results would soon be realised.

He, however, said it was upon the Somalis themselves to see the need of finding peace in their country.

Annan appoints Liberian diplomat to head UN Somalia office

22 February - Secretary-General Kofi Annan has decided to appoint a senior diplomat from Liberia to be his new Representative and head of the United Nations Political Office for Somalia.

In an exchange of letters with the President of the Security Council released today at UN Headquarters in New York, the Secretary-General says he intends to appoint Winston A. Tubman to succeed David Stephen, “who did excellent work in Somalia before taking up his new assignment in Guinea-Bissau recently.”

Mr. Tubman previously served as a senior adviser to the chief of the UN Iraq-Kuwait Observation Mission (UNIKOM).

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