Somali president Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has attended the first International Somalia contact group meeting which was hosted by the government of Spain.

United Nations special representative for Somalia, Ambassador Agustin Mahiga who addressed the meeting said that the Transitional Federal Government was facing two pressing challenges: political and security.

Dr. Mahiga said that the international contact group was expected to help the TFG achieve its goals and that can only be done by establishing a conducive environment.

The ambassador said that he met with some of the leaders in East Africa and they all emphasized on the need to strengthen political dialogue as well as to provide adequate support to the Somali Security Forces.

UN’s special representative for Somalia, ambassador Agustin Mahiga has highlighted that the Secretary General also underscored three points including: support to the Somali Government and the African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM, Implementation of humanitarian and recovery activities followed by the establishment of the light UN footprint, and finally the deployment of the UN peacekeeping operation at an appropriate time, subject to a decision by the UN Security Council.

Bar-kulan.