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HORN OF AFRICA: IRIN-Horn of Africa Weekly Round-up 390 for 14 - 20 July 2007

20 Jul 2007 14:47:03 GMT
Source: IRIN

NAIROBI, 20 July 2007 (IRIN) - CONTENTS:

SOMALIA: Conference organisers optimistic, despite adjournment SOMALIA: Possible closure of Mogadishu market threatens livelihoods SOMALIA: Livelihoods in jeopardy after poor rainfall SUDAN: UN calls on key rebel leader to embrace peace efforts

SOMALIA: Conference organisers optimistic, despite adjournment

The much-touted national reconciliation conference opened as scheduled on 15 July in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, but was adjourned a few hours later, in a move that civil society hailed as positive as it gave the government time to make sure most would-be delegates attended.

"The conference was officially opened by the President [Abdullahi Yusuf] at 2pm local time," Abdulkadir Walayo, the media adviser to the National Governance and Reconciliation Commission, which is organising the conference, told IRIN.

He said the conference was adjourned until 19 July to allow for late delegates. There had also been some technical hitches. "We had problems with badges and accommodation, which will be sorted out by Thursday."

Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73255

SOMALIA: Possible closure of Mogadishu market threatens livelihoods

The largest open-air market in Somalia, Bakara, in the capital Mogadishu, could close due to insecurity and continued restrictions on the movement of people by government security forces, warn local sources.

"All the signs point to a total closure of Bakara market," Ali Muhammad Siad, the chairman of the market's traders, told IRIN on 18 July.

A local businessman warned that such a closure would affect thousands of people's livelihoods.

Full report

http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73287

SOMALIA: Livelihoods in jeopardy after poor rainfall

Severe water and food shortages in Somalia's northeastern self-declared autonomous region of Puntland are forcing families to leave their homes to look for resources elsewhere.

Most of Puntland's population relies on livestock and fishing, but poor rainfall has left people struggling to make ends meet.

The Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, Ali Abdi Aware, said the problem was most acute in the eastern region of Bari and parts of the disputed region of Sanaag (both Puntland and Somaliland claim the area).

Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73311

SUDAN: UN calls on key rebel leader to embrace peace efforts

The United Nations has urged a prominent Darfur rebel leader to join efforts to end the devastation in Sudan's western region, even though Abdel Wahid Nour, leader of a faction of the Sudan Liberation Movement, has declared he would not participate in peace talks next month.

The talks, to be held under the auspices of the UN and the African Union in Arusha, Tanzania, hope to lay the foundation for negotiations with the Sudanese government, to end more than four years of conflict in Darfur.

Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=73333

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Last updated:Fri Jul 20 14:51:18 2007