The transitional government of Somalia is seeking funds from donors to help it hold a national reconciliation conference next month that would be open to all clans in the country, still racked by violence after a December war. Addressing a news conference in Nairobi on Wednesday, Somali Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Gedi said some donors have already agreed to fund 32 million euros (41.6 million U.S. dollars) for the conference, which will be held in the bullet-riddled city of Mogadishu from April 16.

"The international community has expressed willingness to support the proposal which we presented before them today. They have shown their interest and willingness to support the document, "Gedi told journalists in Nairobi.

"The congress is the largest and most far-reaching reconciliation effort that has ever taken place in the history of Somalia," he said.

However, it was not clear whether the UN-backed government would invite the country's recently ousted Islamic militants who have been accused of carrying out sporadic attacks in Mogadishu.

Gedi, who met with representatives from donor countries in Nairobi, said the planned conference would focus on conflict resolution between various Somali clans and sub-clans, many of whom were involved in bitter inter-clan warfare since the collapse of central governance in 1991.

"The national undertaking entails formidable challenges in terms of logistics, finance and expertise given the meager resources available to us at this point. In order to meet these challenges, we made an appeal to the people of Somalia at large and particularly to the business community to afford their generosity to the success of the conference," Gedi said.

The transitional government has been under intense pressure from Ethiopia, the United States, the European Union and the United Nations to expand its support base by bringing all Somali parties, including moderate Islamists and powerful clans to the negotiating table before the AU force lands in Mogadishu.

Experts say there is little chance of the violence abating until the government reaches out to clans who feel excluded from the political process.

The Somali premier said disarmament was progressing in Mogadishu, where the African Union soldiers are helping the government to hold the capital amid almost daily mortar attacks and gun battles.

"This reconciliation process would continue within the framework of the transitional federal charter," he said, noting that during the process, major decisions to deal with disarmament, the economic recovery and federal arrangements would be made.

"This reconciliation conference is very important in order to heal the wounds and injuries afflicted during the war time. The major outcome of the conference would be forgiveness and understanding amongst the Somali people," said Gedi.

"We are very much confident and optimistic we would achieve these goals. This is an effort we can not address alone but needs collective efforts with international community," he said.

Source: Xinhua