The Minister of Information, Dahir Gele, has said that the international community should do more to help the TFG and the people of Somalia.

Speaking at Chatham House (recently placed in an international survey as the best non-US think-tank), Mr Gele said that the TFG had succeeded in creating a unified security force for Somalia and that, as a result of the establishment of Radio Mogadishu in October 2009, the TFG was beginning to succeed in the communications battle against extremism.

Mr Gele said that the Government was committed to peace and reconciliation, the Somali flag, Somali values and Somali sovereignty, all of which Al Shabaab totally rejected, he said.

Lack of security, said Mr Gele, was the most important issue facing the Somali people.  He said the international community must address the needs of the TFG in a timely and effective way.

“We hope that in the coming weeks, we can make a difference. The international community should please join us, hand in hand, to achieve peace and security for Somalia.”

Earlier, Mr Gele met with the UK Government’s Minister for Africa, Baroness Kinnock, as well as officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and members of the media.  He will be holding meetings with the Somalia diaspora in the UK over the next few days, before traveling to the United States. Other members of the delegation: Abdirahman Mohamud Farah, Minister of Justice and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information Abirisak Aden

PRESS RELEASE

Ministry of Information