     HASSAN | Sunday, April 08, 2001 - 12:43 am
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Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya Wasaradda Arrimaha Dibadda
Somali Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Release April 6, 2001
The BBC, the Integrated Regional Information Network for Central and Eastern Africa (IRIN) and other news agencies have recently reported from the Sudanese sources that H.E. Omar Hassan El-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, in his capacity as the current Chairman of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), appointed a Special Envoy to “Coordinate Activities on Resolving Somali Conflict”. It was also reported that the nomination of this “Envoy” comes as a result of the resolutions on Somalia adopted at the Eighth IGAD Summit of Heads of State and Government.
While the Transitional National Government and the people of Somalia commend and appreciate the efforts exerted by H.E. Omar Hassan El-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, to help and facilitate the process of reconciliation and reconstruction pursued by the Somali Government, it contends that the nomination of this “Envoy” at this stage of the positive evolution of the situation in the country will only weaken the momentum of the reconciliation process.
The Government further contends that the appointment of the “Envoy” does not seem to be consistent with the resolutions on Somalia adopted at the said Summit. All the resolutions and decisions on Somalia adopted by the Security Council, the OAU, the Arab League, the OIC, and IGAD call on all the Member States of these Organizations to provide the necessary assistance to support the reconciliation efforts PURSUED by the Transitional National Government of Somalia. This is the mechanism that has been agreed upon by all the Member States and it is therefore incumbent upon all of us to abide by these resolutions and decisions.
The Transitional National Government has repeatedly affirmed that the outcome of the Arta Peace Process will remain as the most viable objective upon which its pursuit of national reconciliation will be built. The Government will vigorously continue to engage in peaceful and constructive dialogue with the factions opposing the Transitional National Government of Somalia. The Government asserts that the reconciliation process will continue to be a Somali process and it will by no means accept any form of reconciliation that will be imposed from outside. It will always welcome assistance provided by the neighbouring and friendly countries to facilitate the process pursued by the Transitional National Government in accordance with the resolutions and decisions adopted by the Security Council, the OAU, the Arab League, the OIC, and IGAD.
In light of the above and in conformity with the policy of the Transitional National Government of Somalia, which underscores its determination to enhance national unity, territorial integrity and political independence in Somalia, the Government believes that it is not in the interest of the Somali people to welcome the appointment of an “Envoy” at this stage of the development of the national peace and reconciliation process.
The Government will contact H.E. Omar El-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan to inform him of the decision and thank him for his continued support of the Somali cause. The Government will also reiterate to His Excellency its readiness to pursue a sustained cooperation with the Government and people of the Republic of Sudan with the view to enhancing the historical ties that exist between the two peoples.
Buri Mohamed Hamza
Minister of State,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tel: (252 1) 52 62 03
Fax (252 1) 21 89 69
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President's envoy to coordinate activities on resolving Somali conflict
BBC Monitoring Service - United Kingdom; Apr 3, 2001
Text of report by Sudanese radio on 3 April
The minister of external relations, Dr Mustafa Uthman Isma'il, has said the duty of President Al-Bashir's special envoy to Somalia is to implement the directives of the IGAD [Inter-Governmental Authority on Development] summit recently held in Khartoum. At the summit, President Al-Bashir, who is the chairman of IGAD, was charged with the responsibility of supervising a committee comprising countries neighbouring Somalia to work on the Somali reconciliation which had began in Djibouti. The work would lead towards the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Somalia.
The minister told the Sudanese news agency that the special envoy, Ali Abd-al-Rahman Al-Numayri, would begin a tour this week. The tour would include the capital cities of the countries involved in formulating a proposal to help in resolving the conflict. The activities would be done in consultation with the chairman of IGAD and other countries concerned.
Source: Republic of Sudan Radio, Omdurman, in Arabic 0900 gmt 3 Apr 01
/BBC Monitoring/ © BBC.
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SUDAN-SOMALIA: IGAD special envoy named
NAIROBI, 2 April (IRIN) - The chairman of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has appointed a special envoy for Somalia. Sudanese President Umar al-Bashir, in his capacity as the current chairman of IGAD, appointed Ambassador Ali Abd-al-Rahman al-Numayri as a special envoy for Somalia, a Sudanese official told IRIN.
The appointment of a special envoy was agreed at the last IGAD summit, the official said. Special envoy Al-Numayri was formerly a junior minister at the foreign ministry, and served as an ambassador in the region for 30 years. He will assist the IGAD subcommittee on Somalia, and will act as focal point on the resolution of the Somali conflict.
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