UN boss lauds Kenya "sacrifice" in Somalia operation

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has commended Kenya’s "great sacrifice" and role in efforts to stabilise Somalia.

At a meeting with President Kibaki at Harambee House, Nairobi Thursday Mr Ban said that the UN and the international community will support the latest initiatives that have seen Kenyan Defence Forces and those of the TFG work together in an operation to defeat militia group Al-Shabaab.

He lauded the decision taken by the Cabinet and approved by the Kenyan Parliament to re-hat Kenyan forces in Somalia under the AMISOM command.

The UN boss assured the government and Kenyans that the UN would support the efforts of Kenya, IGAD and the Africa Union in efforts to bring about stability in Somalia.

President Kibaki said that the people of Somalia had a historic opportunity to bring about peace and stability to their country and encouraged the UN to take an even more pro-active role.

The President updated Mr Ban on steps that the KDF were taking to restore order and provide humanitarian assistance in areas liberated from the Al-Shabaab.

President Kibaki said all Kenya wanted was a peaceful and prosperous Somalia that could once again be home to the over 600,000 refugees currently camped in Kenya.

Noting that the security and humanitarian crisis in the war-torn country remained a major concern not only to the neighbouring countries and the region but also to the whole continent, President Kibaki called for a collective solution to the problem.

President Kibaki welcomed the UN Security Council resolution on additional sanctions against Eritrea for undermining peace and stability in Somalia through provision of political, financial, training and logistical support to Al-Shaabab among other armed opposition groups.

“Besides hunting for Al-Shaabab remnants in captured towns, KDF and TFG are engaged on saving the lives of famine victims by providing food, water, medication and security,” the President informed the UN boss.

The Kenya Government has secured moral and political support from various nations and organizations including the Commonwealth, AU, EU, Indian Ocean Rim Association, EAC, ACP-EU and COMESA, President Kibaki said.

The President assured the Secretary-General that Kenya will continue to respect its international obligations of hosting and protecting refugees despite the fact that the camps have been infiltrated by some armed Al-Shaabab elements.

He called on the humanitarian agencies and the international community to reciprocate Kenya’s hospitality in hosting the refugees by partnering to share the enormous burden presented by the refugees.

“The humanitarian situation in Dadaab and IFO II camps, with over 600,000 refugees, remains dire causing high levels of malnutrition and other diseases,” observed the President.

Al-Shabaab, President Kibaki said, remained the sole enemy to humanitarian operations by continuing to ban them from reaching needy populations.

President Kibaki and Ban Ki-moon also discussed the role of United Nations Office in Nairobi (UNON).

Present were Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula, Internal Security minister George Saitoti, Assistant minister Richard Onyonka and the Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura.