UN: Letter to the members of the Somali Diaspora (No. 25)

As-Salaamu Alaikum,

My warmest greetings to you all,

1.There have been many developments since my last letter and I have asked my office to keep you informed of our activities as they unfold. I would like to take this opportunity to give you a brief update as we near the end of the month.

2.In early May, I was interviewed by AllAfrica in which I reiterated my most ardent views on the situation in Somalia: that the status quo is not an option; that all African governments and regional institutions, such as IGAD, must step up action to support Somalia; that the TFG and the international community must remain focused on priorities; that impunity must be addressed; and finally, that the most effective and efficient way for the United Nations to assist Somalia is to operate from Mogadishu.

3.More recently, we have concluded the three-day Istanbul Conference on Somalia. I am pleased to say that the Conference turned out to be very successful, thanks to many of you and the resources of the business community. This is a very good initiative for the private sector to partner with international business and work with the Government for economic development to take root. The roundtable recommendations that were established within the various business sectors at the Conference will be monitored and followed up by my office in the coming weeks. For those of you who were not able to attend, you may wish to check the website dedicated to the Conference at www.istanbulconferenceonsomalia.org for more detailed information.

4.As I said, I am pleased with the outcome of the Conference. The private sector has show-cased Somali ingenuity and business savvy in the presentation of some its winning business ventures. It is now up to all politicians to build upon the ground work laid out in the Conference and to demonstrate that there are hopeful and positive aspects of your country, including the potential to contribute to the global economy. I hope the Federal Transitional Institutions, including Parliament, will also show more cohesion within their rank, and solidarity among their different components so that Somalia will have stability and attract much needed investment rather than demoralizing negative press.

Yours Faithfully,

Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah