From: Biniam Haile \(SWE\) (eritrea.lave@comhem.se)
Date: Tue Jun 30 2009 - 19:23:10 EDT
/06/2009 20:59 SIRTE, Libya, June 30 (AFP)
Somalia's neighbours urge AU to double peacekeepers
The African Union needs to double the size of its peacekeeping force in
Somalia, where an Islamist insurgency threatens the internationally
backed government, an east African bloc said Tuesday.
Leaders of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), which
includes Somalia and five of its neighbours, met on the eve of an
African Union summit in the Libyan town of Sirte.
In a communique, IGAD again singled out Eritrea for posing "obstacles to
peace and stability in Somalia through the provision of assistance to
the extremists including foreign forces who continue to cause mayhem in
Somalia."
IGAD reiterated its call to the United Nations to impose sanctions on
Eritrea, a position supported by the African Union, while urging the AU
to boost its 4,300-strong force in Somalia, already its largest
peacekeeping operation.
The AU has approved a force of 8,000, but has yet to deploy the full
contingent. IGAD insisted Somalia needed the full force, for which
Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Malawi have promised troops.
If the region fails to muster enough soldiers, IGAD proposed a "hybrid"
force that would include troops from outside the region.
The existing force has only succeeded in keeping the insurgents out of
the area around the presidential complex in the capital Mogadishu.
Since the latest violence erupted nearly two months ago, the United
Nations estimates 250 civilians have been killed while more than 160,000
have fled their homes.
IGAD called on "all international humanitarian organisations to urgently
move in and provide humanitarian assistance to the suffering Somali
people... and urges all the neighbouring countries to provide safe
corridors for humanitarian deliveries."
The meeting included Somali President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Kenyan leader
Mwai Kibaki, Sudan's Omar al-Beshir, Ethiopia's Meles Zenawi and foreign
ministers from Djibouti and Uganda.
http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa
<http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=09
0630205925.n75gkqs0.php> &item=090630205925.n75gkqs0.php
----[This List to be used for Eritrea Related News Only]----