By Barry Moody ACCRA, July 3 (Reuters) - Only a lack of international funding has delayed the deployment of more African peacekeepers to Somalia, the war-ravaged country's prime minister said on Tuesday. Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi rejected suggestions that daily violence in Mogadishu and other areas, which has killed five Ugandan peacekeepers, was deterring other countries from joining an African Union force there. "There is no other reason than lack of logistical and financial support," Gedi told a news conference on the fringes of an AU summit in the Ghanaian capital. He said violence in Somalia, one of the most dangerous countries on earth, was not aimed at AU peacekeepers. "There is no danger for African Union peacekeepers in Somalia and particularly the Ugandans. The Somali people have welcomed AU peacekeepers," Gedi said in reply to a question. Some 1,600 Ugandans have deployed in Somalia as the vanguard of an 8,000-strong peacekeeping mission. Several other nations, including Burundi, Nigeria and Malawi, have pledged troops but so far none have been sent to the Horn of Africa nation, despite an urgent appeal at the last AU summit six months ago. Gedi said several countries were "very keen" to provide peacekeepers, but "the necessary logistical and financial support was not given to deploy forces to Somalia". The transitional government has been accused of not moving quickly enough to reconcile with representatives of all Somalia's powerful clans and elements of an Islamic government ousted last Christmas with the help of Ethiopia's powerful army. Gedi said: "We don't recognise any mistake made by the government." He also blamed lack of funds from donor countries for two postponements of a national reconciliation conference in Mogadishu to promote peace. The postponements were widely blamed on continuing violence and guerrilla attacks by remnants of the Islamic force, which made the seaside capital too dangerous. Gedi said additional funds were provided last week. "I am optimistic security forces will be able to secure the capital city for the reconciliation conference," he said. Earlier on Tuesday, officials said gunmen shot dead a senior government official in Mogadishu and a teenager died when munitions left behind by AU peacekeepers exploded. A roadside bomb detonated next to a Ugandan convoy in the capital, which is suffering an upsurge in insurgent attacks. No one was hurt.
