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28 December 2006 - Programme Number 132

UN Envoy Urges Parties to Negotiate for Peace In Somalia;
Priority Projects to be Funded in Africa's Great Lakes Region;
Head of UN Peacekeeping Takes Stock of Burundi's Transformation from a Focus on War to a Focus on Development

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has appealed to Somalia's neighbors to stay out of the violence in the Country. Ethiopia has admitted to sending troops in the fighting between the Transitional Federal Government and the Union of Islamic Courts. The Security Council has taken up the issue, and the Secretary-General hopes that talks between the African Union, the Arab League and IGAD, the Intergovernmental Authority for Development will yield positive results:

"I would also appeal to neighbouring countries to stay out of the crisis in Somalia and respect the sovereighty and territorial integrity."

IUnder a pact signed by 11 countries in Africa's Great Lakes region last week in Nairobi, Kenya a 2 billion-dollar fund will be established to rebuild conflict-affected areas. UN Radio's Michelle Montas spoke with Christophe Maganga, who is in charge of the Regional programme of action on Economic Development and regional integration with the Conference for the Great Lakes, and found out about some of the 15 priority projects.

"Those projects will enable people to understand that frontier, the border should not be considered as a physical barrier, but exploit the opportunities on each side of the border to create synergies and economic opportunities."

The UN Mission in Burundi wil close at the end of the year, after helping to move the country from war to a focus on development. Elections were held and the country now has a foundation on which to create stability about the UN's successful experience in the country. Ransford Cline-Thomas spoke to Jean Marie Guehenno, the Head of the UN Peacekeeping.

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