Saudi Arabia Donates Dates to WFP for Somali And Sudanese
ADDIS ABABA, 21 MARCH 2003--The United Nations World Food Programme announced on Monday that a donation from the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of 360 metric tons of dates to WFP for the Somali and Sudanese refugees living in camps in Ethiopia. The dates are valued at more than US$ 460,000 and are being distributed this month, the WFP said in a press release.
"This is a very generous contribution and we are very grateful to the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for providing a food item that compliments and varies the refugees' diet," said Ms. Georgia Shaver, WFP Country Representatives in Ethiopia. "This is the third time that the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia donates dates to refugees in Ethiopia".
"This particular donation illustrates the commitment of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to be among the first countries providing humanitarian assistance to people in need throughout the world," said Salah Ahmed Sarhan, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to Ethiopia. "This contribution reflects also the good relations between the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia".
Friday, March 21, 2003
Essy Express Concern On the Situation in Somalia, Condemns Coup in CAR
ADDIS ABABA, 21 MARCH 2003--The Interim Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Amara Essy, expressed his concern over the reported violations of the Declaration of Cessation of Hostilities signed on the 27th October 2002, in Eldoret, Kenya, by all the Somali Leaders attending the Somalia National Reconciliation Conference, the African Union Said in a statement.
The African Union strongly condemned these violations, which are causing unnecessary loss of life and the destruction of property, as well as tremendous suffering to the people of Somalia. Such violations undermined the ongoing Reconciliation Conference aimed at restoring peace and stability in Somalia, the statement said. "It is all the more regrettable that the violations were occurring at a time when all efforts are being made by the Facilitators of the peace process, sponsored by IGAD and supported by the African Union, to put in place a monitoring mechanism."
ADDIS ABABA, 21 MARCH 2003--The Interim Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Amara Essy, expressed his concern over the reported violations of the Declaration of Cessation of Hostilities signed on the 27th October 2002, in Eldoret, Kenya, by all the Somali Leaders attending the Somalia National Reconciliation Conference, the African Union Said in a statement.
The African Union strongly condemned these violations, which are causing unnecessary loss of life and the destruction of property, as well as tremendous suffering to the people of Somalia. Such violations undermined the ongoing Reconciliation Conference aimed at restoring peace and stability in Somalia, the statement said. "It is all the more regrettable that the violations were occurring at a time when all efforts are being made by the Facilitators of the peace process, sponsored by IGAD and supported by the African Union, to put in place a monitoring mechanism."
Thursday, March 20, 2003
Somalia: Government to host southern factions' peace talks in Mogadishu
March 20, 2003 3:39am
HOOVNEWS, 20 MARCH 2003--A grand follow up meeting is expected to take place soon in Mogadishu between several Somali factions.The following southern Somalia [groups] are expected to attend the meeting: The interim Somali government; the Jubba Valley Alliance; the Shaykh Adan Madobe wing of the Rahanwein Resistance Army; the Somali National Alliance led by Uthman Ali Ato; the United Somali Congress headed by Muhammad Qanyare Afrah; the Mogadishu faction leader Umar Finish wing; and the Somali National Front which is a member of G8 [loose alliance of southern dissident groups].
According to reliable sources, the meeting is a continuation of the Eldoret cease-fire agreement which Mogadishu faction leaders and the interim Somali government have signed.
Although the agenda of the meeting has not yet been disclosed, reports say the meeting will elaborate on the Eldoret agreement between the faction leaders and the government.
Authoritative sources further say the Transitional National Government of Somalia will host the meeting. More faction leaders are also expected to arrive in Mogadishu in the coming days...
Source: Qaran, Mogadishu, in Somali 19 Mar 03
/© BBC Monitoring
Publication: BBC Monitoring International Reports
Distributed by Financial Times Information Limited - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Copyright © 2003 BBC Monitoring International Reports. All Rights Reserved.
March 20, 2003 3:39am
HOOVNEWS, 20 MARCH 2003--A grand follow up meeting is expected to take place soon in Mogadishu between several Somali factions.The following southern Somalia [groups] are expected to attend the meeting: The interim Somali government; the Jubba Valley Alliance; the Shaykh Adan Madobe wing of the Rahanwein Resistance Army; the Somali National Alliance led by Uthman Ali Ato; the United Somali Congress headed by Muhammad Qanyare Afrah; the Mogadishu faction leader Umar Finish wing; and the Somali National Front which is a member of G8 [loose alliance of southern dissident groups].
According to reliable sources, the meeting is a continuation of the Eldoret cease-fire agreement which Mogadishu faction leaders and the interim Somali government have signed.
Although the agenda of the meeting has not yet been disclosed, reports say the meeting will elaborate on the Eldoret agreement between the faction leaders and the government.
Authoritative sources further say the Transitional National Government of Somalia will host the meeting. More faction leaders are also expected to arrive in Mogadishu in the coming days...
Source: Qaran, Mogadishu, in Somali 19 Mar 03
/© BBC Monitoring
Publication: BBC Monitoring International Reports
Distributed by Financial Times Information Limited - Asia Africa Intelligence Wire
Copyright © 2003 BBC Monitoring International Reports. All Rights Reserved.
Suspected Al Qaeda Man Arrested Over Nairobi Bomb
NAIROBI, 20 MARCH 2003--A Yemeni national suspected to have been involved in the 1998 Nairobi bomb attack was arrested and flown to Kenya yesterday for interrogation.
Internal Security minister Chris Murungaru said the man, suspected to be an Al-Qaeda operative, was arrested with the help of Somali leaders in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Sources said the suspect, who reports in Nairobi and Mogadishu identified only as Mr Isse, was arrested at a hospital in the Karaan District of Mogadishu.
Mr Murungaru declined to give details of the suspect, claiming in a statement that it would jeopardise investigations.
Officials of the Transitional National Government (TNG) in Somalia and Nairobi confirmed the arrest and detention of the middle-aged man
NAIROBI, 20 MARCH 2003--A Yemeni national suspected to have been involved in the 1998 Nairobi bomb attack was arrested and flown to Kenya yesterday for interrogation.
Internal Security minister Chris Murungaru said the man, suspected to be an Al-Qaeda operative, was arrested with the help of Somali leaders in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Sources said the suspect, who reports in Nairobi and Mogadishu identified only as Mr Isse, was arrested at a hospital in the Karaan District of Mogadishu.
Mr Murungaru declined to give details of the suspect, claiming in a statement that it would jeopardise investigations.
Officials of the Transitional National Government (TNG) in Somalia and Nairobi confirmed the arrest and detention of the middle-aged man
ETHIOPIA: Conference addresses "critical" state of Africa's refugees
ADDIS ABABA, 20 Mar 2003 (IRIN) - Africa's four million refugees are impeding social and economic development on the continent, a conference in Addis Ababa heard on Thursday.
The continent still "bears the scars" of scores of conflicts in the shape of millions of refugees, the two-day meeting was told.
The conference, held jointly by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR), is aimed at raising awareness of the rights of refugees and families who are forced to flee their homes because of wars and famine on the continent.
Ilunga Ngandu, the Ethiopia-based regional head of UNHCR, said that refugees or displaced people are always victims of massive human rights abuses because they have been forced to flee.
"This creates desperation and outflows of too many Africans to exile or internal displacement," he said. "Even when refugees have reached an asylum country, we have witnessed over the years serious violations."
Currently there are some 12 million refugees in the world - four million of them in Africa costing UNHCR around US $1 billion.
Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world, is home to some 37,000 refugees from Somalia and more than 90,000 from Sudan.
ADDIS ABABA, 20 Mar 2003 (IRIN) - Africa's four million refugees are impeding social and economic development on the continent, a conference in Addis Ababa heard on Thursday.
The continent still "bears the scars" of scores of conflicts in the shape of millions of refugees, the two-day meeting was told.
The conference, held jointly by the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) and the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR), is aimed at raising awareness of the rights of refugees and families who are forced to flee their homes because of wars and famine on the continent.
Ilunga Ngandu, the Ethiopia-based regional head of UNHCR, said that refugees or displaced people are always victims of massive human rights abuses because they have been forced to flee.
"This creates desperation and outflows of too many Africans to exile or internal displacement," he said. "Even when refugees have reached an asylum country, we have witnessed over the years serious violations."
Currently there are some 12 million refugees in the world - four million of them in Africa costing UNHCR around US $1 billion.
Ethiopia, one of the poorest countries in the world, is home to some 37,000 refugees from Somalia and more than 90,000 from Sudan.
SOMALIA: EC advises partners to evacuate staff
NAIROBI, 20 MARCH 2003 (IRIN) - The European Commission (EC) has advised international NGOs whose operations it funds in Somalia to evacuate their international staff.
The recommendation "to consider evacuation of their international staff from Somalia with immediate effect" was given to the NGOs on Thursday "as a precautionary measure until such time as the situation can be assessed as normal".
According to an EC advisory note, received by IRIN, it said that in view of the military action against Iraq, the EC delegation was urging its partners "at the very least to reduce their international staff inside Somalia to the absolute minimum".
International NGO sources told IRIN there was concern that the US government's military action in Iraq "may create adverse conditions in Somalia", a mainly Muslim country.
NAIROBI, 20 MARCH 2003 (IRIN) - The European Commission (EC) has advised international NGOs whose operations it funds in Somalia to evacuate their international staff.
The recommendation "to consider evacuation of their international staff from Somalia with immediate effect" was given to the NGOs on Thursday "as a precautionary measure until such time as the situation can be assessed as normal".
According to an EC advisory note, received by IRIN, it said that in view of the military action against Iraq, the EC delegation was urging its partners "at the very least to reduce their international staff inside Somalia to the absolute minimum".
International NGO sources told IRIN there was concern that the US government's military action in Iraq "may create adverse conditions in Somalia", a mainly Muslim country.
Presidential contender urges support for Somaliland poll
HARGEYSA, 20 Mar 2003 (IRIN) - As campaigning kicked off for Somaliland's first multiparty presidential elections, leading opposition contender Ahmed Muhammad Silaanyo said the international community should support the self-declared republic's fledgling democratic process.
"What Somaliland is doing is an experiment which is, yes, nebulous and new, but worthwhile and which I believe the international community should help with," he told IRIN on Thursday.
"The international community is now spending so much money on Eldoret [Somali peace talks, now moved to Nairobi] and what is going on there?," he said. "If the international community could
give a fraction of those resources to help the election system in Somaliland, that would be worthwhile, and I am sure the world would be very proud of what we are doing."
Silaanyo is one of two opposition candidates running against incumbent president Dahir Rayale Kahin in polls scheduled for 14 April.
HARGEYSA, 20 Mar 2003 (IRIN) - As campaigning kicked off for Somaliland's first multiparty presidential elections, leading opposition contender Ahmed Muhammad Silaanyo said the international community should support the self-declared republic's fledgling democratic process.
"What Somaliland is doing is an experiment which is, yes, nebulous and new, but worthwhile and which I believe the international community should help with," he told IRIN on Thursday.
"The international community is now spending so much money on Eldoret [Somali peace talks, now moved to Nairobi] and what is going on there?," he said. "If the international community could
give a fraction of those resources to help the election system in Somaliland, that would be worthwhile, and I am sure the world would be very proud of what we are doing."
Silaanyo is one of two opposition candidates running against incumbent president Dahir Rayale Kahin in polls scheduled for 14 April.
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