The chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Jean Ping, on Tuesday urged the United Nations Security Council to play due roles in the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in Somalia.
In a statement from the AU headquarters, Ping said he would like once again to underscore the primary responsibility of the UN Security Council for the maintenance of international peace and security.
In the statement, he strongly urged the Security Council "to fully assume its responsibility by authorizing the deployment of an international stabilization force in Somalia."
The international force should be followed "by a UN peacekeeping operation that would take over from AMISOM (AU Mission in Somalia) and support the long-term reconstruction and stabilization of Somalia," he said.
Ping also urged the UN Security Council to urgently approve the proposals submitted by the UN secretary-general on a support package to AMISOM.
Nearly 3,400 AU peacekeepers from Uganda and Burundi are currently deployed in Mogadishu as part of a UN authorized 8,000-strong force. Other African countries that pledged to contribute have not so far sent in their share because of logistical difficulties.
Ethiopia, which send its military forces into Somalia two years ago, confirmed last week that it was pulling its troops out of that country.
Source:Xinhua
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