Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang'ula has described the situation in Somalia as dire, adding that the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) is under extreme pressure from Al-Shabaab and other insurgent groups.
A statement from the foreign ministry issued here Tuesday said Wetangula joined other members from the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) in condemning Eritrea for arming and supporting the insurgents in Somalia against the TFG.
He urged the AU Executive Council to solve the problem in Somalia, saying that the problem of piracy is a product of failure of the Somali state.
The minister also called on the executive council to activate the standby force and amend the AMISON mandate.
Meanwhile, members of the East Africa Community (EAC) have agreed to jointly coordinate the candidature of East Africans to international positions in the African Union and the United Nations.
This was resolved during a meeting of East African Foreign Affairs Ministers held on the sidelines of the ongoing African Union Council of Ministers Summit in Sirte, Libya where all the members of regional economic bloc are represented.
"In this regard, a Candidature committee has been established at the EAC secretariat to coordinate the process of selecting candidates for various positions," the statement said.
"This will give residents of the region a better chance in international positions since they are supported by all members of the East African Community."
The meeting agreed that the five East African countries are going to support the election of Francis Atoke from Uganda, Adelardus Kilangi from Tanzania and Lilian Bokeeye from Kenya as members of the African Union Commission on International Law.
They also agreed to support Kenya's Mukhisa Kituyi as chairperson of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
Source: Xinhua, June 30, 2009