UN Special Representative meets with President of Eritrea
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Asmara, 4 October - The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, met in Asmara with President Isaias Afewerki of Eritrea today on the second leg of his seven-nation mission to promote peace and reconciliation in Somalia.

Ambassador Fall raised a number of issues with a view to avoiding any further deterioration in the present Somalia situation. Among the issues covered was the question of IGASOM deployment, and the importance of the scheduled Khartoum peace talks on 30 October.

Amb Fall held separate meetings in Addis Ababa yesterday with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia and Amb. Said Djinnit, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU). He also plans to visit Djibouti, Egypt, Sudan, Uganda and Yemen for consultations with their respective leaders. More...

UN Special Representative for Somalia Visits Ethiopia
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Addis Ababa, 3 October - The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, visited Ethiopia today as part of a seven-nation mission to promote peace and reconciliation in Somalia.

Acting on recommendations contained in the UN Security Council Presidential Statement of 13 July 2006 (*), Ambassador Fall also plans to visit Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, Uganda and Yemen for consultations with their respective leaders.

Among the most critical issues on Ambassador Fall's agenda is the third round of the Khartoum peace talks scheduled for 30 October between the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) based in Baidoa and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) established in Mogadishu.

Ambassador Fall had separate meetings in Addis Ababa today with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Amb. Said Djinnit, Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU). They exchanged views on the current situation in Somalia. More...

Special events mark International Day of Peace in Somalia
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Nairobi, 21 September - Communities in major population centres throughout Somalia are celebrating the International Day of Peace today with special activities ranging from peace marches and sporting events, to music and dance.

In his Peace Day statement to the Somali people, the UN Special Representative, Francois Lonseny Fall, appealed to "those who lead competing visions for Somalia, to pause and consider the consequences of an escalating cycle of violence on the nation’s fragile social fabric."

"Two particularly violent events this week have pushed peace deeper into the shadows," Ambassador Fall said. "The murder on Sunday 17 September of Sister Leonella, a Catholic Nun who had served the needs of children in Mogadishu and the assassination attempt on President Abdullahi Yusuf in Baidoa the following day, introduced a new dimension of violence in the form of a car bomb attack. I wish I could paint a bright picture for Somalia today, but there are too many clouds, too many uncertainties on the horizon."

Full text of Statement...
Video
Audio

Assassination Attempt Against Somali President Condemned
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Nairobi, 18 September - The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, today condemned a car bombing attempt on the life of the Somali President, Abdullahi Yusuf in Baidoa.

Speaking on behalf of the United Nations and all member states of the European Union, Ambassador Fall called for calm in Somalia. “We condemn this attack on the peace process and call on all Somalis to resolve their differences peacefully.”

Ambassador Fall said he was relieved that the President and other leaders and parliamentarians were not hurt in the explosion. He also expressed sadness at the loss of life and injuries to innocent bystanders. More...

UN Special Representative Addresses Khartoum Peace Talks
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Khartoum, 2 September - The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, today urged delegations from the Transitional Federal Institutions and the Union of Islamic Courts to enter into a meaningful and constructive dialogue that begins to address key issues that divide them.

“We believe that resolving problems through mutual consultation and dialogue is the best way forward at this point in time,” he said in opening remarks to those attending the talks. “Consultation and dialogue are not new to you, my Somali brothers. They are an important part of your traditions; they are the very essence of your culture; and they are also in accordance with the values of Islam. This is how you have solved your problems peacefully for centuries. This is how you must overcome the challenges that confront you now.” More...

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