August 15, 2008 - Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to Somalia said he was encouraged that two key committees set up as a part of a June accord aiming to bring peace to the country are set to convene on August 16 in Djibouti for three days. Under the Djibouti Agreement, reached by the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the opposition Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS) on 9 June, the Joint Security Committee is tasked with implementing security arrangements while the High Level Committee deals with political cooperation, justice and reconciliation. The TFG and the ARS agreed to end their conflict under the deal, which is trying to resolve the long-standing issues that have left Somalia without a functioning national government since 1991. Mr. Ould-Abdallah said the two sides will have delegations participating in both committee meetings, while representatives of the international community will also attend. The Somali Prime Minister and opposition leaders Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan are among those expected to participate. It was learnt meanwhile that the Somali President, Prime Minister and Speaker of Parliament have travelled to Ethiopia on August 14. It is believed that Ethiopia is trying to heal the rift that has opened up between President Yusuf and Prime Minister Nur Adde recently. (UN information)

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