CM/Res.1558 (LXI)
RSOLUTION ON SOMALIA
The Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity meeting in its Sixty-first Ordinary Session in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 23 to 27 January, 1995,
Having considered the report of the Secretary General on the situation in Somalia, Document CM/1861 (LXI),
Having listened to the statement on Somalia by the Foreign Minister of Ethiopia,
Appreciating the continued efforts of the Current Chairman of the OAU, as well as those of President Meles Zenawi, the Secretary General, and the leaders of the region to contribute to peace in Somalia,
Considering the commendable efforts made by the International Community, to provide humanitarian assistance to Somalia, and its continued disposition to help in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the country,
Reaffirming the imperative need to establish and maintain a secure atmosphere conducive to humanitarian activities as well as the peace process to take place in Somalia,
Regretting that the UNOSOM II operation is to end on 31 March, 1995,
Considering that the resumption of dialogue among the various parties and the establishment of an interim government is desirable before the withdrawal of UNOSOM II,
Expressing grave concern at the very slow pace in the national reconciliation process in Somalia,
Recognizing the major role of Africa in the settlement of the Somali conflict:
TAKE NOTE of the report of the Secretary-General;
PAYS TRIBUTE to H.E President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, Current Chairman of the OAU, H.E Meles Zenawi, President of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia, and the Secretary-General of the OAU on their relentless efforts in the search for a negotiated political solution for the Somali problem, as mandated by the Assembly of Head of State and Government of the OAU;
EXPRESSES ITS FRUSTRATION and ITS DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT
over the lack of goodwill on the part of the Somali faction leaders to seek reconciliation on the basis of what is good for Somalia and its people and over the predominance of narrow self-interests in the behaviour of all faction leaders;
REITERATES THE APPEAL made by the Central Organ at its Ministerial meeting in Sousse, Tunisia, on 3-4 August, 1994, to all the Somali factions to take all necessary measures to put an end to the violence;
REAFFIRMS that restoration of peace in Somalia remains essentially the
responsibility of the Somalis, and that the International Communi ty can only help them in the realization of that objective. In that regard, the various factions and Somalis in general had to realize the imperativeness of reaching an understanding and instituting a broad-based and representative transitional authority, preferably by 31st March, 1995;
REAFFIRMS FURTHER the position of the Central Organ for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, at its Ministerial Meeting, contained in the Communique issued on 4 August, 1994, urging the various Somali politi cal organizations to proceed with the course of common action which is envisaged in their Nairobi declaration of 24 March 1994;
REQUEST that the Current Chairman of the OAU, President Meles Zenawi, and the Secretary-General of the OAU devise ways and means of further reinforcing the initiatives that have already been undertaken, and supported by the Informal Ministerial Meeting of the Central Organ, held on 22 January, 1995, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and other initiatives being proposed to be undertaken by the President of Ethiopia with the view to making progress towards the setting up of a broad-based and representative transitional authority in Somalia;
CALLS ON all Member States to do all that is in their power to assist in this endeavour so that the efforts to be deployed by the OAU can be successful and that the Organization can speak with a unified voice on the question of Somalia;
EXDPRESSES APPRECIATION to the various humanitarian agencies based in Somalia for the good work they have continued to render in the field of rehabilitation and humanitarian relief supplies;
CALLS ON countries of the region to re-activate their involvement in the
enhancement of peace and reconciliation in Somalia;
CALLS UPON the International Community to9 continue rendering adequate assistance to the people of Somalia in the areas of recovery, rehabilitation and humanitarian relief supplies;
REQUESTS the Central Organ to review the developments in Somalia at its forthcoming Ministerial Ordinary Session scheduled for 6-7 March, 1995, and assist in the establishment of a transitional authority, among other things, in Somalia;
REQUESTS the Secretary-General will report to the next Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers on the prevailing situation in Somalia then.