2007 Somali National Reconciliation Conference

Summary

The 2007 Somali National Reconciliation Conference was held from 15 July 2007 until 30 August 2007[1] in Mogadishu; it was announced on 1 March 2007 by Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, the President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG).[2][3]

Preparations edit

More than 3,000 people from all of Somalia's regions and clans as well as from the Somali diaspora participated.[4] The United States had announced their support for the conference.[5] Moderate Islamists in exile in Eritrea had also been invited,[6] but had refused to attend.

It was originally planned to be held from 16 April until mid-June, but was postponed thrice, first to 15 May 2007,[7] then to 14 June 2007[8] and finally to 15 July 2007.[9]

Events edit

When the conference finally opened on 15 July 2007, it immediately adjourned until 19 July 2007 to allow for more delegates to arrive, since the moderate Islamists had not yet ended their boycott of the conference.[10] The conference building was being attacked with mortars on that date, as well, and again on 17 July 2007.[11]

The conference eventually opened for real on 19 July 2007; however, moderate Islamists and Hawiye clan elders still boycotted it, claiming that the venue were not neutral. Islamists have scheduled a conference in Asmara instead.

There was an 11-point program to be discussed at the conference, including the holding of elections.[12] According to commentators, little was achieved at the conference.[13]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Somalia: Reconciliation Conference to Be Concluded on Thursday, Says Mahdi
  2. ^ "News | SomaliNet". www.somalinet.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  3. ^ Ethiopia: Somali Nat'l Reconciliation Conference Scheduled for April allAfrica
  4. ^ "People's Daily Online -- 3,000 delegates to attend Somalia's National Reconciliation Congress". en.people.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-06-11. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  5. ^ "Xinhua - English". Archived from the original on 2012-10-07. Retrieved 2007-03-21.
  6. ^ "People's Daily Online - Reconciliation conference to go ahead: Somali president". en.people.cn. Archived from the original on 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  7. ^ "People's Daily Online -- Somali reconciliation conference adjourned to mid-May". en.people.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-06-11. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  8. ^ "People's Daily Online -- New date set for Somali reconciliation conference". en.people.cn. Archived from the original on 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  9. ^ "Somali conference postponed again". June 13, 2007 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^ "Somali peace conference postponed". July 15, 2007 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  11. ^ "People's Daily Online - Somali reconciliation conference venue under mortar attacks again". en.people.cn. Archived from the original on 2020-10-17. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
  12. ^ "Somali talks bombs kill children". July 19, 2007 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  13. ^ "Opinions mixed as reconciliation conference winds up". The New Humanitarian. August 30, 2007.

Further reading edit

  • "Diplomat Optimistic Somalia Conference Will Bring True Peace" in Voice of America news, July 19, 2007.
  • "Somalia Reconciliation Conference Opens, but Soon Stalls" in The New York Times, July 16, 2007.
  • "Somaliland Boycotts to Attend the Reconciliation Conference" in allAfrica.com, July 15, 2007.