UN Special Representative on Somalia to talk with NGOs on Responsibility to Protect

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Nairobi, 13 November 2007: The United Nations Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, is holding a meeting with representatives from civil society and Non-Governmental Organizations involved in Somalia to explore with them the difficulties they are facing. Mr Ould-Abdallah said he would be ‘listening and sharing views on how to address the situation in Somalia including the responsibility to protect’.

Mr Ould-Abdallah has praised the work carried out by national and international humanitarian workers especially in Mogadishu and expressed his readiness to work closely with them in the fulfillment of his mandate.

The meeting comes in the framework of continued consultations that the SRSG has been holding with Somali political actors and their international partners. The objective is to build a consensus on a coherent approach to end the 17 years of continuing conflict.

UNPOS and Non-Governmental Organizations operating in Somalia have a common position regarding the responsibility to protect, as highlighted in their separate statements issued on 30 October 2007