Sunday, April 13, 2008

Somalia's President Flies to New York for UN Conference


MOGADISHU, -The president of Somalia's transitional federal government, Mr. Abdullahi Yusuf, flew from the capital Mogadishu Saturday to Nairobi, Kenya.

Before leaving, President Yusuf told reporters at the Villa Somalia presidential compound that he will attend a United Nations session in New York City, where he plans to push for more international attention on Somalia.

"I will give an address at the UN meeting to update member states about the situation in Somalia," President Yusuf said.

He stated that the UN has "ignored" the plight of the Somali people, citing a drought the country is currently undergoing.

The Somali leader urged the international community to provide humanitarian assistance to Somalia, which he described as a country ravaged by conflict and drought for 18 years.

An ongoing 15-month Islamist rebellion has killed thousands of people and displaced most of Mogadishu's civilian population from their homes.

The UN estimates that more than 1 million Somalis are displaced inside the country, creating what some officials have described as the world's worst humanitarian crisis.

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