Biden, Kiyonga meet over Somalia

US vice-president Joe Biden last week held talks with Uganda’s defence minister, Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, about bringing peace to Somalia in Nairobi, Kenya.Also at the meeting were the special representative of the African Union (AU) chairperson, Boubacar Gaoussou Diarra, the UN special representative of the secretary general for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould Abdallah, and the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISON) force commander, Nathan Mugisha.Mugisha discussed the challenges facing AMISOM  UN Mission
and the need for greater political inclusivity and stability in the Somalia transitional federal government.Biden commended AMISOM for their peacekeeping efforts and discussed steps to bolster their capacity.The meeting came almost a week after a Somali terrorist killed two Uganda peacekeepers serving in Somalia and wounded five others.The five were admitted at Nairobi Hospital and are said to be in a stable condition.The soldiers were killed when the militants fired a bomb at the presidential palace, which the Ugandans were guarding.The troops also protect the international airport and the port.Uganda is the biggest contributor to AMISOM, with over 3,000 soldiers.The meeting came shortly after Biden met a delegation from Southern Sudan led by Salva Kiir, the president and first vice-president of the Government of National Unity of Sudan.During the meeting, Biden re-affirmed the US commitment to seeing the referendum on Southern Sudan’s self-determination occur on time and in a manner that credibly reflects the will of the Southern Sudanese.He recognised the challenges faced in the referendum preparations and underscored the need for Southern Sudan leaders and international groups to ensure that all necessary measures are in place for a peaceful outcome that can be internationally recognised.Biden offered the political, financial and technical support of the US.The US vice-president also recognised the great strides made in Southern Sudan to establish state institutions and responsible governance since the signing of the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement.He, however, emphasised the need to increase the capacity, efficiency and transparency of those institutions, irrespective of the outcome of the referendum.