Saturday, May 15, 2010

Istanbul Conference on Somali should generate hope and resources: UN envoy

The Istanbul Conference on Somalia next week will provide an opportunity for the global community to show solidarity with the Somali people, who have suffered so much, the United Nations envoy for Somalia said at the Security Council on Wednesday.

"The Istanbul Conference is providing us with an exceptional opportunity to show hat Somalia has true friends ready to make a difference," UN envoy Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah said. "If we do not make the right commitments and take the right action in Somalia now, the situation will, sooner or later, force us to act and at a much higher price."

The UN Istanbul Conference on Somalia will be held on May 21-23 to address threats to the security and stability of the war-torn country. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is expected to attend the summit, which will also explore ways to combat rampant sea piracy off the Somali coast.

"This conference is first and foremost a show of political solidarity with the Somali people who have suffered so much and been taken hostage by various groups and individuals," Ould- Abdallah said during a Security Council session on Somalia. "It is also a sign of hope sent to Somalis that they are not alone."

In addition to addressing security issues and global threats, the conference will also provide a platform for the Somali private sector, international business and governments to launch new initiatives for reconstruction and job creation, he added.

Source: Xinhua

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