By Justin S. Tibenda

6^th Sept 2010

Praised UPDF Work

The United Nations political chief has voiced his solidarity with the people of Somalia during a one-day visit to the Horn of Africa nation.  He also encouraged its leaders to focus on governing the country.

“It is crucial to show the long suffering people of Somalia that the Government can deliver basic services”, B. Lynn Pascoe, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs said in the capital Mogadishu on Wednesday 1^st Sept 2010.

He said the international community is very interested in supporting the Transitional Federal Government [TFG] “…but the Government itself needs to do more and learn to work as a cohesive team”.  Mr. Pascoe, who was accompanied by the UN special envoy for Somalia Augustine Mahiga, also met President Sheikh Sharif and Somali Cabinet ministers at the presidential compound.

Prior to arriving in Mogadishu, the Under-Secretary-General had travelled to Kenya, Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia for discussions on peace and security issues in the Horn of Africa especially Somalia; a country that has been afflicted by constant violence and faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.

Violence in Mogadishu alone has led to some 3,000 conflict-related casualties so far this year and uprooted around 200,000 people from the city; the scene of ongoing clashes between Government troops and Islamist militant groups like Al-Shabaab.

Just last week, an attack on a hotel in Mogadishu killed 30 civilians including six Somali Members of Parliament.  Upon his return to
the Kenyan capital Nairobi, Mr. Pascoe told reporters that the TFG was reaching out more to political opponents and that greater international awareness of the needs on the ground was translating into more comprehensive assistance on security and other matters.

“Is this is a huge challenge? Yes; it’s going to be very difficult.  But what strikes me is how pieces are coming into place and the political will of the international community is strengthening…I am hopeful that things are beginning to move in the right direction”, Mr. Pascoe said.

While praising the work being done by the African Union forces from Uganda and Burundi, he also called for more troops as well as financial and logistical support for the AMISCOM force which lost four of its Ugandan peacekeepers in a mortar attack early last week.  The dead UPDF soldiers were named as Sgt. Bunni Swalli from Yumbe, Pt. Happy Ronald from Bundibugyo, Pt. Otim Ongera Nelson from Pader, and Pt. Okello Maxwell from Lira.  END.  If it’s Monday, it’s Uganda Correspondent.  Never miss out again!