Somalis inch nearer return home

Wednesday, 9 February, 2005, 19:15 GMT

Somalia's exiled prime minister has announced plans for his government to begin relocating later this month.

Ali Mohammed Ghedi said it would start leaving Kenya on 21 February.

Mr Ghedi said his government's plans now depended upon the response of donors to his request for $80m. They have so far contributed about $8m.

Considerable divisions remain within the cabinet about the decision to return the government to the divided capital, Mogadishu.

The African Union (AU) has authorised the deployment of thousands of troops from several regional countries to help with the relocation.

But a Somali minister and warlord, Osman Ali Ato, has urged Somalis to fight any Ethiopian troops deployed as part of the AU force.

Visit

Correspondents say many Somalis are suspicious of the intentions of neighbouring countries. On Tuesday, a delegation from Somalia's exiled parliament visited the presidential palace for the first time, in what is seen as a highly symbolic move.

Villa Somalia has been controlled by either warlord Hussein Aideed, now deputy prime minister, or his late father for the last 14 years.

Somalia has been without an effective government since the overthrow of President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Since then, rival warlords have battled for control of the country, and Somalia has been divided into a patchwork of fiefdoms.

"Considering the findings of the mission ... we will start our official relocation on the 21 February," Mr Ghedi told reporters in Nairobi.

Battle for the capital

Most government buildings in Mogadishu are either in ruins or being used as refugee camps - and it has no civil service or treasury. According to the BBC's Hassan Barise, Mogadishu's warlords want to persuade the delegation that the capital is secure to ward off attempts to move the new government elsewhere.

But a significant number of the new administration are reluctant to make Mogadishu the seat of government, favouring other, safer towns such as Baidoa in the south, until security is re-established in the capital.

Divisions about the government's relocation seem to go to the very top, our correspondent says.

President Abdullahi Yusuf, who comes from northern Somalia, never refers to Mogadishu when talking about the move - seen by some as a significant omission.