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United States Sees Chance for National Reconciliation in Somalia

29 December 2006

U.S. envoy praises Somali leaders for reaching out to all parts of society

By David Shelby
USINFO Staff Writer

Washington – The transitional Somali government’s December 28 seizure of control over the Somali capital Mogadishu offers “an historic opportunity for the Somali people to achieve a broad-based, inclusive government,” the U.S. ambassador to Kenya said December 29.

With the assistance of the Ethiopian military, forces from the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFI), as Somalia’s provisional government is known, drove out Islamic Courts Union (ICU) militants, who have controlled the capital since June.

In a December 29 statement, Ambassador Michael Ranneberger praised TFI President Abdullahi Yusuf for his pledge to engage in dialogue “with all segments of the society, including the business community, representatives of civil society, religious figures, and clan elders, among others.”  He said the future of U.S.-TFI relations would depend on the transitional government’s willingness to work for national reconciliation.

Somalia has not had an effective central government since the 1991 overthrow of former President Mohamed Siad Barre.  The TFI was formed in 2004 in Nairobi, Kenya, and moved to the Somali city of Baidoa in 2005, but Mogadishu remained under the control of rival warlords until the ICU seized the city in June.

The ambassador urged all Somalis to use this opportunity for achieving national unity.  “All Somalis have a role to play in the future of Somalia, except those who are committed to terrorism and violence,” he said. “Warlordism and clannism have no role to play in the future of a modern Somali state.  Mogadishu should remain a free and open city, accessible to all regardless of clan affiliation.”

According to press reports, Ethiopian officials have pledged to withdraw their troops from Somalia in the coming weeks and turn over control to African Union forces.  The ambassador voiced U.S. support for the deployment of African Union peacekeeping forces as expeditiously as possible.

The United States also pledged to provide appropriate humanitarian assistance to Somalia.

(USINFO is produced by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)