Paul Ejime
26 February 2001
Tripoli, Libya — After more than 10 years' absence from OAU meetings, Somalia is using its presence at the ongoing 73rd Council of Ministers session in Tripoli, Libya, to appeal for international help for national reconstruction.
"Our country has been devastated by the civil war and we need support from the international community to help rebuild what has been destroyed," Somali Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Buri Mohamed Hamza, told PANA in an interview in the Libyan capital Saturday.
He said part of the reconstruction involved the demobilisation and rehabilitation of some 20,000 militias belonging to the various who fought the war.
"These young people need help to be able to contribute to national development," Hamza said, adding that only 7,000 of them had been demobilised and rehabilitated so far.
The Minister said more than one million US dollars would be required a month to rehabilitate the remaining ex-combatants at the rate of two dollars a day.
"But that is only part of the task, the infrastructure is run down after more than 10 years without a central government," he said, adding that the entire national reconstruction would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Somalia had its first government in 10 years in 2000, which five faction leaders had shunned.
But Hamza said two of the faction leaders had been brought on board under the ongoing national reconstruction process.
On the security situation, the Minister said apart from isolated incidents, the Mogadishu government faced no major threats from the remaining factions.
He likened the situation to the case of chicken and egg, explaining that reconstruction could go ahead as the nation tries to attain absolute security.
Noting that colleagues had warmly received him, Hamza said his country was happy to rejoin the OAU, to contribute its own quota in efforts towards continental unity and integration.
"We are also hopeful that our brothers in Africa and the rest of the international community would help us in the reconstruction efforts," the Minister added.
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