APA-Nairobi (Kenya) Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki on Saturday said that the prevailing security situation in Somalia is worrying and greatly endangers regional peace, security and stability, noting that violence continues, and there is an increase in attacks targeting foreign nationals, local and international non-governmental organizations, the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia and members of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia.
The President said that the continuing insurgency has embraced violence as a means of unseating the Transitional Federal Government and scaring away the African Union peacekeeping mission.
“As a region, we cannot accept those who use violence - pirates and kidnap syndicates to continue killing and kidnapping people”, said Kibaki while addressing the 12th ordinary Assembly of the Inter-government Development Authority on Development (IGAD) heads of state and government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The president seized the opportunity and urged the United Nations Security Council to step up its involvement in the Somali Peace Process until the situation fully stabilizes.
“In particular, it is critical that the United Nations Security Council urgently considers transforming the (African Union Mission to Somalia) AMISOM into a United Nations Peacekeeping Mission”, said the President in a Presidential statement issued to the press in Nairobi on Saturday evening.
The President noted that the the current number of 2,613 troops falls far below the 8,000 strong force needed to effectively enforce peace in Somalia.
“While appreciating the pledges made by African countries to deploy troops to AMISOM, and in light of the prevailing security challenges in Somalia, I urge Benin, Ghana and Nigeria to deploy their troops without further delay”, noted the Kenyan leader who now is the outgoing chairman of IGAD. more .... East African Nations Call for UN Peacekeeping in Somalia http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=aeuoghdDLZlA&refer=africa
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