After numerous failed peace efforts, Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh announced at the UN General Assembly in September 1999 his initiative to bring about peace and reconciliation in Somalia. In August 2000, a transitional parliament, based on clan representation, was formed in Djibouti and a new president Abdulqassim Salad Hassan was elected by parliament members, but without the support of key Mogadishu warlords and the leaders from Somaliland and Puntland. The former government in Somalia was equipped during the Cold War with weapons from the USA, the USSR, Iraq, and Italy. In spite of an arms embargo on Somalia imposed by the UN Security Council in 1992, Ethiopia has been accused of arming north Mogadishu faction leader Ali Mahdi Mohamed and reportedly Puntland. Eritrea and Libya reportedly provided military aid to the faction now headed by Hussein Aidid.
Many weapons also find their way into Somalia via private weapons dealers.
In August 1998, Hussein Aideed made a visit to Ethiopia, but failed to extract the concessions he wanted, or expected. By contrast, in February this year he returned from a visit to Asmara with three planeloads of weapons. In September 1998 Ethiopia reportedly donated military uniforms, light weapons and ammunition to the Puntland administration.