Adis-ababa 03 April, 06 ( Sh.M.Network) Somali prime prime_minister Ali Mohamed Gedi said his government would give its first priority to forming national Somali forces to work out peace and security in his war-torn country, dismissing any deployment of outside troops to Somalia.
Prof. Gedi said in an interview with BBC network Africa in Addis Abba Ethiopia that Somali government is ready to build its national security forces rather than bringing foreign troops in the country.
Mr Gedi talked about the government forces encamped in Bakol region, saying previously his government had to prepare around six thousand well trained Somali troops but it got the possibility of arranging two thousand Somali forces in Wajid, capital town of Bakol region bordering with Ethiopia.
“We are requesting from IGAD member states and Arab League to provide capacity building trainings to our forces since we can not do our activity alone” he said adding “our national security plan is based on our national security forces.
Asked whether national forces fail to bring peace in the country what would be the second priority, Mr Gedi said if Somali troops are not able to stabilize the nation we are compelled to invite foreign troops to secure the country.
He also replied a question about the call from president Abdulahi Yusuf on twenty thousand outside troops in Somalia during his election in Nairobi late 2004 and he said the government have been waiting one year and half to get response from the international community saying “so we have realized that we are able to organize ourselves before bringing troops from outside Somalia, so let us start of our first priority to establish our nation security forces and later we are still requesting held from world”
Meanwhile Mr Gedi talked about the recent fighting in Mogadishu between Islamic courts and counter terrorism alliance which formed by some government ministers, saying “ I am very sad about the bloodshed in Mogadishu at this critical moment, we Somali people need peace and stability and good leadership”.
Mr Gedi lastly said that it is unfortunate that Somalis still have warmongers in the country.
Shabelle Media Network, Ethiopia