Communiqué of the 33rd extra-ordinary session (extra-ord.No. 3) of the IGAD council of ministers on the security and political situation in the sub-region in particular Somalia.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, July 13, 2009/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The 33rd Extra-ordinary Meeting (Extra-ordinary No. 3) of the IGAD
Council of Ministers was convened at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on
10th July 2009 to discuss the developments in Somalia since the 33rd
Extra-ordinary Session No. 2 held on 29th June 2009 in Sirte, Libya
and to chart the way forward. The Council was chaired by H.E.
Seyoum Mesfin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal
Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the current Chairperson of
the IGAD Council of Ministers. The Council received briefs from
the Somali delegation and the IGAD Facilitator for the Somali
Peace and Reconciliation Process. The meeting was attended by
H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Djibouti; H.E. Mohamed A. Omaar, Minister of Foreign
Affairs of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia; H.E.
Richard Onyonka, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Kenya; H.E. Isaac Musumba, Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs (Regional Cooperation) of the Republic of Uganda;
H.E. Muheidin Salem, Ambassador of the Republic of Sudan to
Ethiopia; and H.E. Mahboub M. Maalim, Executive Secretary of
IGAD.
The meeting was also attended by H.E. Kipruto arap Kirwa, IGAD
Facilitator for Somalia Peace and National Reconciliation, H.E.
Ramtane Lamamra, representing the Chairperson of the African
Union Commission; Mr. Walid Musa Abdelkarim, representing the
UN Special Representative of the Secretary General to Somalia;
and H.E. Raffaele de Lutio, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy
and Chair of IGAD Partners Forum.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITY
ON DEVELOPMENT
AUTORITÉ INTERGOUVERNEMENTALE
POUR LE DÉVELOPPEMENT
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After deliberating at length on the prevailing political and security
situation in the sub-region especially Somalia, since its
extraordinary session (Extr-Ord. No. 2) of 29th June 2009, the
Council:
1. Affirms that the Djibouti Peace Process constitutes the
legal and legitimate framework on which the Somalia
Parliament and Government have been established.
The Djibouti Peace Process shall remain the only valid
process for the implementation of peace and
reconciliation in Somalia until August 2011. In this regard,
Council welcomes the signing on 21 June 2009 of the
agreement of cooperation between the TFG and
Ahalu-Al-Suna Wa-Aljmaa.
2. Recalls the AU Assembly decision of 3rd July 2009 and
that of the IGAD Heads of State and Government
contained in their communiqué issued in Sirte, Libya on
30th June 2009, calls upon the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) to take immediate measures to
positively respond without further delay and the African
Union Peace and Security Council (AU-PSC) to follow
this matter with utmost urgency.
3. Condemns the continuing military aggression on
Somalia aimed at the forceful removal of the legitimate
government of Somalia.
4. Recognizes that this military aggression is no longer a
fight between and among the Somali people but one
instigated by foreign elements that has resulted in many
civilian deaths and massive internal displacement.
5. Further calls upon the AU-PSC and the UNSC to review
AMISOM rules of engagement in light of current
development to enable the forces enhance their
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response mechanism, so as to better protect their
personnel, equipment, key installations and provide
effective support to the TFG but to also engage in
active defense operations.
6. Calls upon the UN Security Council to review the UNSC
Resolution 1725 (2006) (para 4 of 6th December 2006) to
enable the frontline states to meaningfully support the
TFG as requested by the Somalia TFIs.
7. Reiterates its earlier decisions and calls upon the UNSC
to urgently review its contingency plans with regard to
deploying a UN Peacekeeping force to Somalia in light
of the current situation.
8. Expresses appreciation to the troop contributing
countries to AMISOM namely; Uganda and Burundi for
the sacrifices they continue to make to advance the
cause of peace and stability in Somalia, and calls upon
the countries that have made pledges including Sierra
Leone, Nigeria, Ghana, and others to immediately
make available the battalions of troops to AMISOM, and
urges all the other countries who have pledged to
contribute troops towards AMISOM to deploy them
without further delay for the sake of peace in the region.
9. Affirms the critical importance of the proposals
contained in the Communiqué issued by 14th Extra-
Ordinary Summit of IGAD held on 30th June 2009 at Sirte
Libya, and the 13th AU Summit of 3rd July 2009,
particularly the request made to impose targeted
sanctions on the State of Eritrea, which continues to
provide assistance to the extremists including foreign
forces who continue to cause indiscriminate deaths and
humanitarian crisis to the people of Somalia.
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10. Further reiterates its earlier decision (31st Extra-ordinary
Council of Ministers of 21st December 2008), and now
takes immediate action, to impose sanctions upon
certain individuals and entities including travel bans,
freezing of assets and other measures, in and outside
Somalia who have become obstacles to the
achievement of peace in Somali. In this regard IGAD
Member states will identify, draw up and share a list of
individuals and organizations to be sanctioned. Each
member state shall appoint a Liaison Officer to
coordinate the information with the Office of the IGAD
Facilitator.
11. Calls upon each IGAD Member State alongside those
bordering Somalia to intensify border surveillance and
establish a coordinating mechanism to monitor and
identify the movement of negative elements to and
from Somalia and take appropriate measures.
12. Commits the governments of IGAD member states
individually and collectively to support the cause of
peace and security in Somalia, and provide all
necessary coordinated support in capacity building of
the Somalia Security Forces (SSFs), and public sector
management.
13. Expresses further appreciation to all the countries and
organizations that made financial and other pledges in
support of the TFG and AMISOM at the International
Pledging Conference held in Brussels Belgium on 22nd-
23rd April 2009, calls for the immediate disbursement of
pledges without preconditions, and further calls on the
AU and UN Pledge Tracking Teams to intensify their
engagements with the pledging countries and
institutions.
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14. Recalls its earlier decision as contained in the
communiqué of 27th January 2009, the decision of the
AU Summit of July 2008 at Sharm-el-Shiekh, February
2009 at Addis Ababa, and July 2007 at Sirte (para. 17),
and UNSC Resolution 1862 (2009) yet to be
implemented, and calls upon the State of Eritrea to end
its occupation of Djiboutian territories and desist from its
destabilization agenda against Djibouti.
15. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
Done at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on 10th July 2009.
SOURCE
IGAD Council of Ministers
