UN Special Representative for Somalia approves political inclusion in the national institutions

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Nairobi, 5 October 2007 - UN Special Representative for Somalia, Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, is pleased with the decision taken by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in its meeting on 4 October.

The decision to endorse the recommendations of the recently concluded National Reconciliation Congress (NRC) “should pave the way for greater inclusion of Somalis from a larger political spectrum”, said Mr. Ould-Abdallah. 

This endorsement has long been awaited by Somalis and the entire international community. Mr. Ould-Abdallah commended this decision as a first step towards national reconciliation and urged the TFG to go further by extending the mandate of the National Governance and Reconciliation Committee (NGRC) as soon as possible.

 Mr. Ould-Abdallah hopes that, by allowing the Committee to continue the national reconciliation process, the TFG will prepare the ground for serious talks between Somalis inside and outside the country.   He also calls the international community to support this helpful move.

For more information please contact: UN Political Office for Somalia(Nairobi, Kenya) Tel. +254 20 762 21 31 Please visit: www.UN-Somalia.org.