NAIROBI, May 12, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The United States will give 10 million dollars as parts of Washington's contribution to the African Union mission in Somalia (AMISOM), a senior official said here on Tuesday.Visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State in Charge of African Affairs Johnnie Carson told a news conference in Nairobi that the funds would compliment the efforts of the pan-African military force to support a strong government in Somalia. "Somalia's problems have gone too far for too long. The absence of a central government in Somalia is the underlying cause of piracy and the displacement of over 100,000 inhabitants to neighboring Kenya which in turn stretch the resources of that nation," Carson told journalists in Nairobi. He said the Djibouti Process that brought Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to power must be supported to bring peace to the region. On Monday, President Ahmed blamed radical Islamists and foreign governments for the renewed bloodshed. Fighting has intensified in the Horn of Africa nation, targeting leaders of the fledgling government and has resulted in civilian deaths. The latest fighting which has killed more than 135 people began on Thursday and escalated over the weekend between pro-government forces and Islamist groups. A local human right group, the Elman Peace and Human Rights Organisation, said the fighting between hardline Islamist rebels from the Al-Shabaab rebel group and pro-government forces have also wounded 330 people.
Ahmed said the Somali government will defend the country's sovereignty and use any means necessary to stop the fighting. He accused foreign countries of pursuing their own interests in Somalia. Somalia, a nation of about 8 million people, has experienced almost constant conflict since the collapse of its central government in January 1991.
Credible force needed to prop up Somali government: UN
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090513/wl_africa_afp/somaliaunrestuncouncil_20090513173918
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