| United Nations Secretary-General Outlines Peace and Security and Conflict Resolutions Priorities in Africa Addis Ababa, 02 February 2009 (ECA) – Right now is a critical period in Africa’s search for development and great security and the United Nation’s efforts on the continent reflect this high priority, Secretary-General BAN Ki-moon told a press conference today. “No where in the world is the United Nations more engaged in conflict prevention and peace keeping than we are on this continent,” he said. The press conference came during the 12th Ordinary African Union Summit, taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During the press conference, the Secretary-General spelled out the UN’s commitment to helping Africa overcome some of the many conflicts that plague it. In Somalia, he praised the election of President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed as a step toward democracy. During a question and answer session, he spelled out how he was to meet with the new president to discuss was to how to insure peace and stability as well as how to deal with piracy. He also stated that the UN would strengthen the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) in the next few months, as well as train the Somali national forces, including police. “I hope that the new president will engage in a national dialog for peace and reconciliation. This is very important sot that the country, which has suffered from all this fighting and division of country’s in the last 17 years to comeback to this reconciliation, national harmony. That’s very important.” On Zimbabwe, the Secretary-General spoke of his meeting with President Robert Mugabe and his call for him to work with the new unity government. He stated that he will send a High Level humanitarian mission as soon as possible to Zimbabwe to assess the needs. But he said he wasn’t all that comfortable with the new Unity Government between Zanu PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).” “I still believe this is an imperfect situation,” he said. “I have urged President Mugabe –to build upon on this new development situation and try to make progress as soon as possible so that they can ensure a fuller democracy and freedom.” Apart from the security issues, Africa faces immense challenges, which may become more difficult due to the global financial crisis, he said. The Secretary General says that he has called on the continent’s development partners to fulfill their development commitments here despite the worsening financial crisis. “The world cannot afford to ignore Africa,” he said. “It is a very alarming that this big continent with a huge economic potential, blessed with many natural resources remains the only one today which will not be able to meet all the millennium development goals. That is simply not acceptable.” “From the very beginning of this financial crisis I have made a very strong, very consistent message to the world, that while I would welcome the industrialized countries to take immediate measures including national stimulus packages to recover and overcome this financial crisis, they should not lose sight of the challenges and difficulties of developing countries, particularly those most vulnerable countries.” The Secretary-General was in Addis Ababa as a guest of the AU Summit, which this year focused on infrastructure and development. The summit ends Tuesday 3 February 2009.
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