UN Special Representative convenes high level meeting on the private sector in Somalia

..............................................................................................

Nairobi, 25 January 2008 - The United Nations Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah has called a consultative meeting to discuss how the private sector can help promote peace in Somalia.

The meeting entitled “The Private Sector, tool for Peace” is taking place on 28 – 29 January 2008 in Sharjah (United Arab Emirates), and brings together several eminent business people from a wide range of key companies in the Middle East and Africa along with other international figures to meet Somalia’s leading businessmen.

Mr Ould-Abdallah said the forum would look at “moving Somalia from a war economy to a peacetime economy.”  It is expected to include discussions on investments in the energy, telecommunications, infrastructure and other key sectors.

For more information please contact: Susannah Price, Public Information Officer, UN Political Office for Somalia (Nairobi, Kenya) Tel. +254 20 762 1192  (o) or +254 733 902020 (m).  Please visit: www.UN-Somalia.org