British Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Rt. Hon William Hague, has explained that President Goodluck Jonathan and other leaders, including representatives of over 50 countries were invited to London for two days to help galvanise international support for Somalia.
The visit, he added, was to also send a signal to its people that the world would stand by them and remind all those who willfully import and perpetuate violence and terrorism there, that they should not underestimate the resolve of concerned nations.
In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by Mr. Hooman Nouruzi, the political and press secretary, British High Commission, Abuja on the outcome of the London conference on Somalia on Thursday, Hague was quoted as saying that despite the welcome announcement by the UN that famine conditions in Somalia had ended, the humanitarian situation remains grave. He estimated that 2.34 million people were still affected.
According to Hague, “Together, these measures represent an attempt to change the dynamics in Somalia from one of inexorable decline to one of gradually increasing stability and security.?
We must be under no illusions about how long it will take to achieve it and our approach must be realistic and sober. We cannot turn Somalia around with one conference and the future is ultimately in the hands of Somalis themselves.”
The UK stated that the London conference was called because of its strong belief that Somalis could not do it on their own.
The major international conference on Somalia, which Britain hosted had in attendance, heads of government and senior representatives from more than 50 countries and organisations, including UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, President Jonathan, the African Union Secretary General Jean Ping and a large delegation of Somali leaders.