UN urges Somalia solidarity

UN humanitarian coordinator in Somalia says Somalis need international community's support more than ever after 20 years of conflict.

Middle East Online

NAIROBI - The United Nations urged the international community on Monday not to give up on Somalia as the war-torn nation approached the 20th anniversary of the downfall of its last stable government. The toppling of Mohamed Siad Barre on January 26, 1991, ushered in an endless cycle of civil war, religious conflict and clan violence which has made it virtually impossible for any central authority to impose its will. The current government led by President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed controls only a few pockets of the capital Mogadishu with the vast majority of the country now in the hands of Islamist insurgents known as the Shebab. Mark Bowden, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Somalia, called it one of the world's most intractable crises where battles for power, resources and land has "created hundreds of thousands of orphans and devastated communities". Nevertheless he pointed to a rise in the numbers of children being educated, the success of immunisation campaigns and of growth in life expectancy as proof that Somalia should not be regarded as a hopeless case. "The Somali people need our support more than ever," Bowden said in a statement. "The international community must step up its support to the people of Somalia if we are to protect the gains we have made and prevent many more people from slipping into crisis and Somalia from becoming one of the world's few chronic catastrophes." In the statement, the UN said it would launch a new five-year plan for Somalia, setting out humanitarian and development goals later this week. "As we reflect on the tragic consequences of two decades of conflict, let us reaffirm our commitment to building a lasting peace which matches the resilience of millions of Somali people who continue to work towards a better future," Bowden added. The UN warned last month drought was likely to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis which has already affected two million people.