Mr. President,
The armed conflict cannot continue in Somalia. National reconciliation is now necessary, and a prerequisite for sustainable peace and development. Without reconciliation the humanitarian suffering will continue and Somalia will remain a destabilizing factor in the region.
The United Nations and the international community as a whole must help Somalia on its way from chaos and suffering to normalization and development. The ultimate responsibility for national reconciliation, however, rests with the Somalis themselves. The Somalis need and deserve leaders who do not act like 'war lords', but leaders who are prepared to overlook narrow individual ambitions and focus on the national interest.
The ongoing peace efforts, such as the Sodere- and Nairobi-initiatives, by regional and other interested states and organizations have the full support of my Government. There is, however, a need for further coordination of the initiatives, leading in the end to an integrated process with the participation of all Somali leaders.
The Somali peace and reconciliation process must ultimately involve all layers of society. While we welcome the latest progress made to achieve a negotiated settlement among Somali factions, we must not forget that the results will not be sustainable unless reconciliation efforts are also focused on rebuilding the civil society on regional and local levels. The European Union and NGO:s such as the Life and Peace Institute make important contributions in this field.
The leading roles played by the regional states and organizations in the resolution of the Somali conflict are commendable. At the same time, Sweden welcomes the preparedness of the UN Secretary General - should he consider it helpful - to designate a Special Envoy for Somalia.
The control of the war lords over the Somali people is based not least on the possession of arms. The United Nations and its member states must ensure that the arms embargo is adhered to. Violations should be reported and acted upon. Also, international assistance should facilitate demilitarization of the Somali society. Demobilization of militias requires that alternative means of subsistence be created.
The international community must sustain its commitment to peace-building in Somalia and not scale down the assistance in a situation which might be less dramatic, but remains extremely fragile. Peace-building and the resolution of humanitarian crises should be seen in a long term perspective. They must not be reduced to ad hoc interventions.
In the present Somali situation of semi-peace, semi-war, international assistance needs to be closely coordinated within the framework of a shared approach on central issues. In the recent United Nations Consolidated Interagency Appeal important steps were taken towards developing such a joint strategy. My Government intends to contribute to this Appeal and encourages others do to the same.
Thank you, Mr. President.