Nairobi, 13 August 2008 – The United Nations Special Representative for Somalia, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, said he was very pleased that the two main Committees in the Djibouti Agreement are being convened this weekend. After consultations with the Transitional Federal Government and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia, it was agreed that the Joint Security Committee (Article 8) and the High Level Committee (Article 9) will meet in Djibouti from 16 – 18 August.

The two sides will have delegations attending each meeting. The Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein as well as the leaders of the ARS, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan plan to attend.

The international community, including diplomats from several countries and regional organizations including France (Chair of the European Union), the US, UK, the African Union, the League of Arab States, European Union, European Commission, Organization of Islamic Conference, IGAD and UNDP will be present. Representatives from civil society have also been invited.

 In this context, the Special Representative calls on the Somali Parliament to suspend its work on certain political issues from 15 – 20 August to facilitate the participation of its members in the meetings of the two committees.

“I would like the Parliamentarians to show their full support for the peace process and for the plight of the Somali population,” said Mr Ould-Abdallah.

For more information please contact: Susanna Price, Public Information Officer, UN Political Office for Somalia (Nairobi, Kenya ) Tel. +254 20 762 1192 (o) or  +254 733 902020 (m).  
                                 Please visit: www.UN-Somalia.org