Africa

Home page

Africa

UN Security Council backs results of London Conference on Somalia

05 March 2012 20:45 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The UN Security Council issued a presidential statement here on Monday, showing its support for the recent London Conference on Somalia and its outcomes, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"The Security Council supports the progress made at the London Conference on Somalia, which affirmed international support, progress on the political process, security, increasing stability, economic development and action to address terrorism, piracy, and hostage taking," the presidential statement said.

The statement was adopted as the 15-member body on international peace and security met for an open debate on Somalia.

"The council emphasized the need to build on agreement in London and continue to pursue a comprehensive strategy for the establishment of peace and stability in Somalia through the collaborative effort of all stakeholders," said the statement.

On Feb. 23, representatives from governments and organizations from around the world met in London to discuss security, humanitarian, and political challenges facing Somalia, a country that has been troubled for many years by conflict between armed groups. The one-day conference resulted in a communique that outlines a plan for Somalia’s future.

The presidential statement noted that the council "welcomes the conference" and "fully supports" the conference communique as a display of the international community’s political will to support the Somali people.

The communique presented an agreement by the international community that Somalia’s current temporary Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) should end in August as planned.

"The Security Council further welcomes the consensus in London that the mandate of the Transitional Federal Institutions will end in August 2012 and that there will be no further extension of the transitional period," said the statement.

On the subject of security, the communique called for a continued strengthening of the African Union Mission in Somalia ( AMISOM), as well as the development of Somali security forces.

In its statement, the council "underlines that the development of the Somali security force and institutions is vital to ensure Somalia’s long-term security and stability and calls upon the international community in coordination with the UN and AMISOM to provide increased support to the Somali security and justice sectors."

Combating the scourge of piracy off the coast Somalia, said the statement, is also a high priority in the country’s development and security.

The statement added that although famine is over in Somalia, humanitarian problems still exist in the country, including the existence of many internally displaced persons (IDPs) who need urgent assistance.

"The council emphasizes the need for the international community to provide well-coordinated, timely, and sustained humanitarian assistance to the Somali people, and to help build their resistance to future shocks, and stresses the importance of upholding and respecting the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence," the statement said.