‘Kuwait welcomes reconciliation efforts in Somalia despite chaos’

NEW YORK, Aug 22, (KUNA): Kuwait welcomed the reconciliation efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States of Somalia despite the challenges.

The remarks were made by Kuwait’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Mansour Al-Otaibi, during the United Nations Security Council’s (UNSC) session on Somalia late Wednesday.

The ambassador called on all parties to put aside their differences and focus on Somalia’s future, especially with the 2020-2021 elections coming up.

Achieving reconciliation will play a big role in completing the work of the constitution revision committee, the comprehensive security plan and approving the elections’ draft law, AlOtaibi said.

Meanwhile, he expressed regret over the recent attacks in the country, as the Al-Shabaab movement and

other armed groups pose a great threat to Somalia.

Al-Otaibi also strongly condemned the attacks on UN employees and rescue workers and called on the UNSC to take serious measures to deal with such incidents.

Moreover, the Kuwaiti diplomat expressed his deep concern over the continuous lack of food security in the

country and the growing numbers of homeless people that reached 2.6 million until now.

He noted that he was pleased with the developmental steps taken by the FGS, which led the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to announce granting the country a debt relief, as part of the fund’s Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.