Statement by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Somalia, Mr Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah 12 May 2008

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Mr Chairman
Honourable guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

I would like to welcome to all of you especially those coming from far away

First of all - I would like to thank the Government and people of Djibouti for their support in helping to convene this meeting and for their most generous hospitality.

I would also like to thank the representatives of the international community, the African Union, the League of Arab States, the European Union, IGAD, Norway, the US and the others for their support for Somali stability.

Mr Chairman

There would not have been a meeting today without the commitment of the Somalis themselves – the TFG and the ARS and all the other Somalis within and outside the country, especially the diaspora. I would like to thank all of them and their leaders for the priority given to discussion, tolerance and compromise.

The international community has had many meetings before on Somalia. However today’s meeting is the first in a sense that there are a limited number of participants, that the date and venue have been respected and there is a commitment by the parties. This is a success for Somalis themselves as it should help renew the trust of their external friends.

Indeed time is long overdue for the Somalis and their friends to focus on the essential issues leading to a minimum stability, justice and forgiveness. I know justice is important, and rightly so, it is needed but so is forgiveness.

Our meeting complements the internal reconciliation process undertaken by the Government in Mogadishu and Kismayo. They should reinforce each other.

Mr Chairman,  I hope and appeal to all Somalis to support stability in their country as it is the key to justice and to internal and external forgiveness between and of Somalis. Delaying a durable solution would only lead to continued violence and more injustice.

Today is a beginning. This will not be the usual conference on peace in Somalia. We should have a good start and maintain the focus on the essential and minimize the importance often given to minor details. We also have a thought for humanitarian and human rights issues and for the suffering population. Only stability will alleviate their situation. Their fate is in the hands of the Somali leaders meeting in this room.
I pray and ask you all to pray for a stable, peaceful and strong Somalia. Thank you for your attention