The U.N. Security Council has approved the deployment of an African Union-led peace keeping force in Somalia for a period of six months. The 15 member council met last Tuesday (February 20), and unanimously authorized Resolution 1744, allowing African Union member states to establish a mission in Somalia "...to support dialogue and reconciliation in Somalia by assisting with the free movement, safe passage and protection" of those involved in the national reconciliation congress, including the federal transition government led by Ali Mohammed Ghedi . Other goals will be to create the "necessary security conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance", and to secure key infrastructure. The mission has been designated as AMISOM , an acronym that stands for African Mission in Somalia. The initiative for the national reconciliation congress was announced by Somalian President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed during a recent summit of the African Union. In the resolution text, the Council reminds that the congress needs a broad base, with representation of the diversity of the Somalian people. Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi , who recently announced the retreat of the army from Somalia, admitted that he didn't wish for his country to be present any longer, and that the war only served to protect Ethiopia from the Islamic Courts Union , which controlled until last December the largest part of the country, including the capital Mogadishu .
The U.N. has approved the deployment of an African Union-led peace keeping force in Somalia for a period of six months. The 15 member council met last Tuesday (February 20), and unanimously authorized Resolution 1744, allowing African Union member states to establish a mission in Somalia "...to support dialogue and reconciliation in Somalia by assisting with the free movement, safe passage and protection" of those involved in the national reconciliation congress, including the federal transition government led by . Other goals will be to create the "necessary security conditions for the provision of humanitarian assistance", and to secure key infrastructure. The mission has been designated as , an acronym that stands for African Mission in Somalia. The initiative for the national reconciliation congress was announced by Somalian President during a recent summit of the African Union. In the resolution text, the Council reminds that the congress needs a broad base, with representation of the diversity of the Somalian people. Ethiopian prime minister , who recently announced the retreat of the army from Somalia, admitted that he didn't wish for his country to be present any longer, and that the war only served to protect Ethiopia from the , which controlled until last December the largest part of the country, including the capital .
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Security Council
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Ali Mohammed Ghedi
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AMISOM
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Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed
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Meles Zenawi
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Islamic Courts Union
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Mogadishu