Brussels, 23/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - Complete political and financial success. These were the words of all those attending the international donors conference for Somalia in Brussels on Thursday 23 April, after an event that saw donors commit over $213 million over the next 12 months to support AMISOM (the African Mission in Somalia) and Somali security institutions, including civilian police forces. The initial request was for $166 (see EUROPE 9886). Beyond these figures, however, this conference convened by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hosted by the European Commission and co-chaired by the African Union, the European Union, the League of Arab States and the United Nations (in line with Security Council resolution 1863), allowed the international community to express its confidence in Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, the new Somali president, who is determined to all in his power to restore peace, security and stability in Somalia and off its coasts - necessary conditions for the development of the country, improving humanitarian access and meeting international obligations. All agreed that the increasing pirate attacks was only a reflection of a much more complex problem resulting from the general chaos of a country that has been stateless and embroiled in civil war for 18 years, but everyone felt that a new page had just been turned. “It was a very constructive meeting,” High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana told press. President of the Commission of the African Union Jean Ping said “this is a decisive moment for Somalia. This conference cannot be reduced to a purely financial and logistic event; it is an opportunity for action for peace and national reconciliation in this country”. Amadou Ould Abdallah, Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative for Somalia, spoke to press about a “real success”, welcoming, firstly and above all, the holding of an international conference “at such a level”, in the presence of the Somali President who has the “necessary legitimacy, the necessary legality because he was elected by the people”. He also welcomed the fact that the financial commitments by the international community were “30% higher that what had been asked for”. The Somali coast is longer than, the east coast of the United States: making it secure is very expensive, he noted. Supporting the government, he said, would mean that piracy could be tackled “at the root”
The Somali president expressed his “gratitude and esteem to the international community for the attention given to the Somali problem at such a historic time” and for the “generosity” it has shown. As the Somali government - a government of action - “we plan to do everything to restore peace and come out of the crisis so that Somalia is a haven of peace” for Somalis and “for all those that wish to come, by land or by sea”. The intensification of the efforts “between ourselves and the international community” is, in his view, the only way to overcome the problem of piracy. “If we have the vision and the essential means, we can resolve the crisis”, he assured.
Louis Michel, European Development Commissioner, announced that the Commission was pledging up to €72 million for security ($100 million), i.e. half of the pledges to commit from the international community. Out of these €72 million, €60 million will go to AMISOM (a reserve of another €20 million may be mobilised if needed), and €12 million will be for Somali police forces to ensure payment and training for 10,000 men during one year. “For the first time, we have a credible government, and we are pleased to help the inter-Somali reconciliation efforts”, the commissioner added.
Opening the conference, José Manuel Barroso had warned: “We would be wrong to limit our response to piracy (…) We shall not put an end to piracy on the high seas if we do not bring real and lasting development to the Somali villages and towns”. Ban Ki-moon, for his part, had underlined challenges that are closely linked such as collapse of the state, the refugee crisis, the economic and ecological crisis, acts or piracy - all challenges that call for an integrated response to put an end to Somalia's feeling of “loneliness”. The deputy secretary general of the Organisation of the Conference of Islam (OCI) announced that the organisation was willing to make a $100 million fund available for rehabilitation and reconstruction of Somalia. (A.N./transl.tfl)