Somalia's interim federal government held a session in the southwestern town of Baidoa Wednesday, where lawmakers condemned a recent wave of assassinations targeting aid workers, businesspeople and civilians in the troubled Horn of Africa country.

The Central Committee of the Somali opposition movement - the Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS) - met on Saturday in the Republic of Djibouti, Radio Garowe reported.

A weeks-long reconciliation process within the fractured Islamic Courts movement ended this week, with both sides announcing a new agreement that would end a public dispute among Somalia's Islamist leaders.

The top United Nations official for Somalia has praised the strife-torn nation's parties for working quickly to advance the peace deal reached last month in neighbouring Djibouti.

The recent summit of the African Union (AU) heads of state held at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, condemned what it called Eritrean military action against Djibouti.

Concern about a terrorist threat to the United States is growing among American intelligence officials due to a recent upsurge in the number of East Africans who have been caught trying to enter the US illegally.

The reaction from the Ethiopian government was prompt, revealing the gravity of the matter; Girma Birru, minister of Trade and Industry, left for Djibouti last Wednesday, July 9, in order to persuade Djiboutian authorities to reconsider the tariff adjustment announced last week by DP World-Djibouti. He stayed there for a night, and met Ismael Omar Guelleh, president of Djibouti.

Drought, combined with soaring food and fuel prices, is causing a severe humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa region, according to the top United Nations relief official.

Land-locked Ethiopia sent its top trade official to Djibouti on Wednesday after the Red Sea state said it would introduce a new tariff on port services.