United Nations Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS)  
 

For Immediate Release 

PRESS RELEASE 0013/2008 

UN Special Representative stresses that Somalia must be the priority 

Djibouti, 12 May 2008 - The UN Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, has said he is pleased that Somali leaders have put the well being of their country and the safety of their countrymen as their priority. 

He was speaking after the opening ceremony for the talks between Somalis which took place in Le Palais du Peuple (the People’s Palace) in Djibouti this afternoon. 

During the ceremony there were statements from the African Union, the League of Arab States and the European Union.  It was addressed by the Special Representative, representatives from the Transitional Federal Government and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia and the Djibouti Minister of Muslim Affairs. 

The SRSG said he was pleased by the encouragement and wide support he had received from the Somali Diaspora for the discussions between Somalis and he hoped they would continue to give their full support and backing to a peaceful settlement of the crisis. 

“Many, especially the young people, told me that this is a new and important first step towards stability in their own country,’ he said. 

Mr Ould-Abdallah reminded the Somalis that there is no peace or stability without compromise, justice and forgiveness.  

“I call on them to think of the terrible political, security and humanitarian crisis in their country and put all their efforts into resolving it,’ he said. 

He also called on the international community to be patient and not to abandon the Somali people.  

He thanked Djibouti for its hospitality and help in the organization of the discussions. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Susannah Price, Public Information Officer, UN Political Office for Somalia (Nairobi, Kenya) Tel. +254 20 762 1192 (o) or +254 733 902020 (m).