UN Special Representative talks with Chairman of Islamic Courts
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Nairobi 27 June - The Secretary General's Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, had a telephone conversation today with Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the Chairman of the Union of Islamic Courts in Mogadishu.

"I briefed him on the role of the United Nations to promote peace and security in Somalia and I informed him of our efforts to encourage dialogue between the TFG and the Islamic Courts," Ambassador Fall said later. "Sheikh Sharif briefed me on the recent events in Mogadishu and expressed his willingness to work with all parties who are interested in promoting peace in Somalia . He told me that the Courts did not start the fight, but had no option but to take power from the warlords once the fighting began."

Ambassador Fall said that he hoped to meet with Sheikh Sharif in the very near future. "I informed him of my willingness to meet with him on behalf of the United Nations to discuss a peaceful way forward," Ambassador Fall said. "He thanked the UN for the role it has been playing so far and told me that he would be ready to meet with me at any mutually convenient date in the near future."

The SRSG congratulated Sheikh Sharif on the positive outcome of the recent Khartoum meeting and stressed the need to respect the ceasefire.

International Community Encourages Reconciliation in Mogadishu
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Nairobi 6 June - Francois Lonseny Fall, United Nations Special Representative for Somalia, today encouraged the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts and other parties in Mogadishu to pursue dialogue, reconciliation and stable governance in accordance with the Transitional Federal Charter.

Ambassador Fall issued his call on behalf of the International Community. Full statement...

UN Special Representative Appeals for Ceasefire

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Nairobi, 10 May - The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, today appealed for an end to hostilities in Mogadishu as the city entered its fourth day of violence between heavily armed militia forces.

“I am deeply disturbed by the daily reports of civilian deaths and injuries and of families fleeing for their lives,” Ambassador Fall said. “Whatever the allegiances, the intermittent conflict between heavily armed camps has resulted in indiscriminate loss of life and has created fear and chaos for those civilians trapped in the crossfire. By taking their grievances to the streets, these armed groups have effectively unleashed a war on their own people. I appeal to leaders on both sides to step back from the brink and reconsider the damage they are inflicting on the population.”

Ambassador Fall said that elsewhere in the country peaceful initiatives have given hope that Somalia can extricate itself from more than a decade of civil war.

More than 200 Somali MPs Accept UN Invitation for Training
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Nairobi - 3 May: Some 250 Somali Members of Parliament are attending a six-day training seminar in Baidoa this week (3-8 May) to prepare the ground for a new Federal Constitution.

The seminar on Federalism and Constitutional Affairs has been organized by the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) to stimulate a dialogue on the Transitional Federal Charter, to help members understand how federal government works and to enhance their legislative and policymaking capacity.

This week’s seminar is one of six Trust Fund projects recently approved by the United Nations Department of Political Affairs to back peace-building and reconciliation efforts in Somalia by: supporting civil and political leadership; demobilizing militias, notably child soldiers; preventing the re-emergence of large scale conflict among militia groups; and resuming commercial and income generating opportunities. The peace building projects involve UN agencies, Somali authorities and civil society organizations and fall under the broad headings of: security, reconciliation, economic recovery, the judiciary; and state-building.

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