By
By Godfrey Olukya 7-5-2013
Leaders from Africa’s great lakes region and a few others from all over the world are in the British Capital London for the International Somali Conference which has today started taking place in Lancaster House.
The leaders and other stakeholders were reportedly since yesterday received at Luton International airport by the Special Representative of the Secretary of State in the Protocol Directorate Mr. Nicholas Jarrold and other British government officials.
The conference that is being attended by various heads of states in the region is being hosted by the government of the UK and aims to provide international support for the government of Somalia as they rebuild their country after two decades of conflict.
The conference will among other things prioritize various issues including the need for swift implementation of the Strategic Action Plan for Policing to address immediate stabilization needs and build institutional foundations for effective civilian policing that will enable the government to realize its security and development objectives and Co-ordinated international support and commitment to the implementation of this Strategic Action Plan for Policing.
For over two decades, Somalia has been in chaos caused by militants who were taking advantage of weak government leadership. They would loot at will, impose their influence in different parts of the country and even collect taxes which they used to buy arms.
But the situation started changing a few years ago when UN and Africa Union started coming up with programmes to bring back sanity to the country. AMISON troops sponsored by AU and and other countries including international organizations have played a big role in fighting the militants and installing a strong government whose leadership has started being felt in the whole country.
END