Tuesday, April 29, 2008
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Norway will host a meeting of the International Contact Group for Somalia (ICG) on April 30, according to reports reaching here from Oslo Monday. The meeting will discuss the political process, the security situation and the humanitarian conditions in the country, which have been shaped by 17 years of chaos and civil war, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Norway has chaired the ICG together with the United States since the Group was established in 2006. The chairmanship will be passed on to the United Nations at the Oslo meeting. However, Norway will continue its committed efforts for Somalia, as a member of the ICG and in other ways, the ministry said.
"We will play a leading role in supporting the UN's efforts in Somalia," said Raymond Johansen, State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, adding that the situation in the country is extremely serious, and it is important that the international community is united in its support for the United Nations.
In order to increase awareness of the humanitarian crisis, Norway will lead a meeting with key humanitarian actors the day before the ICG meeting, according to the statement.
Source: Xinhua, April 29, 2009