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AHMEDOU OULD-ABDALLAH: “Mr. Ban Ki-moon is ready to tackle the Somali problem but a major portion of the initiative should come from the Somalis themseleves”
Hiiraan Online
Wednesday, March 05, 2008
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| The SRSG for Somalia Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah | |
Nairobi (HOL) - In an interview he gave to the Somali website of Hiiraan Online while staying at the EU headquarters in Brussles, The Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Somalia has called a recently pbulished news on Secretary Gerneral´s unwilingsness to solve the Somali problem as baseless rumours.
Ambassador Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah told that the UN Secretary General Mr. Ban Ki-moon is serious about the Somali problem, highlighting Ban-Ki moon´s mentioning of Somalia and Sudan in his first speech is an indication of how deeply the Secretary General is concerned about the Somalia problem. “The secretary general had put the situation of Somalia and Sudan in the list of high priority issues which should be discussed in the major agendas of the security council” added Mr. Ahmed Ould Abdallah
“Mr. Ban Ki-moon is ready to tackle the Somali problem but a major portion of the initiative should come from the Somalis themseleves” said the Special Representative who was in Brussless at the time of the interview conducted over the phone by Ahmed Gure, head of the Hiiraan Online
In speaking about his purpose of staying in the EU headquarters Mr. Ould-Abdallah told that he has meetings with the political committee of the European Union to discuss about the recent developments of Somalia particularly the ongoing efforts to restore peace and stability in Somalia, adding that he will visit the UN Security Council on 20 th of March 2008 to brief the Security Council about the situation of Somalia.
In asking Mr. Ahmed Ould-Abdalla a question on why those who have committed war crimes in Somalia are not being put to court, the Special Representative siad that the world community is treating Somalia in an unjust way as they look down issues related to bringing justice to the Somali war criminals, citing the war crime tribunals set up in Liberia and Cambodia as an example.
Ambassador Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah did not not give a sufficient response when asked if there were some special people who are believed to have committed war crimes in somalia, but he told that there are agencies which are responsible to collect war crimes in Somalia.
On the other hand, the Special Representative of the of Secretary Gesneral for Somalia Amb. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah has praised the role of Somali businessmen in providing neceessary services to the Somali people, stressing that the Somali business people have lifted the Somali economy to a level higher than countries with functioning governments. The Ambassador has made clear that the UN Office for political affairs (UNPOS) shall preside a meeting on March 29 th for the somali businessmen with the intention to enhance the growing Somali economy.
Since the time he was nominated as the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Somalia, Amb.Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah has tirelessly shown strong dedication in an effort to curb the somali conflict which has been raging over the past 17 years. He is currently invloved in high level diplomatic overtures to reconcile the TFG and its opponents who are camping in and outside Somalia.