Djibouti's Turn-Around On Somali Peace Talks

October 29, 2003
Posted to the web October 29, 2003

Standard Correspondent
Nairobi

Djibouti has rescinded its decision to pull out of the Somali Peace Talks.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kalonzo Musyoka hailed the move saying concerted efforts by all parties in the process would achieve the conference's goals.

Signalling a change of mind was Djibouti's Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Abdi Farah, who turned up for a meeting of the facilitation committee held at a Nairobi hotel.

Musyoka said a resolution at the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (Igad) summit in Kampala resolved that the facilitation committee be expanded to include Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Uganda.

Musyoka said: "His presence lends null and void earlier statements on his country's stand." However, Farah did not respond to Musyoka's statement.

Announcing the decision to pull out of the Igad technical committee two weeks ago, the Djibouti ambassador, Mr Ismael Goulal accused Kenya and Ethiopia of high-handedness.

Member states, he said, had failed to adhere to the objectives of the peace process. He added that his country would not recognise a Somali government that would result from the talks.

Musyoka announced that the conference is faces a cash crisis.

The peace conference was operating under a deficit because pledges for funding had not been met, Musyoka said.

In Eldoret, where the conference started last year before being moved to Nairobi, the conference owed local businesses huge debts, he added.

Musyoka appealed to the international community and countries, who made pledges to honour them, saying the conference was costly.

The minister did not say how much was owed.

The meeting had been convened to review the conference's progress.