Kenya and Ethiopia tells Somalis to take charge of destiny
Kenya and Ethiopia have called on Somali leaders to resolve their disputes peacefully to achieve sustainable peace and political stability in their country.
President Mwai Kibaki and Ethiopian Premier Meles Zenawi emphasised that while regional and international leaders had collectively helped to restore peace, order and political stability in Somalia, the destiny of the country rested in the hands of the Somali nationals themselves.
In a joint Communique read by Kenya’s minister for Foreign Affairs Moses Wetang’ula after bilateral talks at State House Nairobi, the two leaders noted that the ongoing operations by the Kenya Defence Forces and their Ethiopian and Somali counterparts to diminish the threat posed by Al-Shabaab insurgents, was paying off.
They welcomed the emerging growing interest of the international community as demonstrated in the recent London Conference on Somalia, which emphasised the need to seize the opportunity created to usher in peace and stability in that country.
The leaders also welcomed the decision of the United Nations Security Council to expand the African Union peacekeeping mission ( Amisom) from 12,000 to 17,731 uniformed personnel and to include reimbursement of contingent owned equipment.
Both leaders expressed commitment to continue working together on AU matters with a view to promoting unity and integration, as a basis for strengthening the continental body.
The talks were attended by Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka, Ethiopian minister for Foreign Affairs Berhehane Gebre-Christos and ambassadors of the two countries.
The Ethiopia leader arrived in Kenya earlier Thursday and was received by President Kibaki.
Meanwhile, Mr Odinga will Friday be joining President Kibaki and South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir for a ground breaking ceremony, to mark the launch of phase one of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport Corridor (Lapsett).
africareview.com