NEW YORK, USA, Sep 22 – Kenya has assured that it is committed to the stabilisation of Somalia and calls upon development partners to support the country that has experienced more than two decades of instability, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amb. Amina Mohamed has said.

Speaking during a high-level meeting on Somalia on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly in New York, Amb Mohamed said as a neighbour, long-term friend and partner, Kenya will do whatever it can to help Somalia to remain on this positive trajectory.

She thanked those in attending the High-Level Meeting including the United Kingdom, Ethiopia and Italy, and assured them of Kenya’s commitment to supporting the long search peace and stability in Somalia.

"In spite of the many challenges that Somalia still faces, remarkable positive developments have been witnessed in almost every sector, placing it on course towards socio-economic and political transformation, said CS Amina.

She said Mogadishu was now open for business and investors were moving beyond speculation to establish their presence there.

She said the successful conclusion of the 2016/2017 electoral process that led to the assumption to office by President Mohamed Abdullahi in a peaceful transition had set Somalia on a path towards improved governance and political stability, including the fight against corruption.

"Somalia today has in place, an elected and more broadly based government that has demonstrated commitment to: formulate a new constitution; create a viable federal system of government; and, rebuild state institutions,” said Ms Mohamed.

She said through a framework of a bilateral Joint Commission for Cooperation, Kenya had made commitments including the establishment of more border posts to ease the movement of people; resumption of direct air services between Mogadishu and Nairobi; and training on behalf of the Government of Somalia, an agreed number of teachers, nurses and administrators.

"We believe that these modest capacity building assistance programmes will facilitate the expansion and extension of critical public services by the Government to the population,” said Amina.

She said Kenya welcomes the international community and friends to partner with Somalia and Kenya by availing additional resources for more capacity building programmes for Somali officials which could be delivered in Kenya’s institutions.

Security remains the single most important factor in Somalia’s political and economic aspirations. The situation remains precarious as the Al Shabaab terror group appears to have invigorated their heinous acts of terror, threatening a rollback of the gains that have been made.

Kenya supports other regional and international initiatives on Somalia. One of these initiatives was the London Conference on Somalia whose third edition in May 2017endorsed a New Partnership for Somalia. The Third London Conference expressed support for a condition based transition from AMISOM to Somali security forces, starting in late 2018 with clear target dates linked to the security sector reform that Somalia in the undertaking.

CS Mohamed said Kenya shall remain a faithful partner to the People of Somalia and will continue to work closely with the Federal Government, the region and the international community in getting Somalia out of the shadows of conflict into a future that holds a bright promise for this and coming generations.

Source-www.capitalfm.co.ke