The IGAD Heads of State and Government held an Extra-Ordinary meeting in Sirte The Great Libyan Jamahiriya on the sidelines of the AU Summit on 2nd July 2009 under the chairmanship of H.E. Meles Zenawi, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Chairman of the IGAD Assembly to consider the political and security situation in Somalia. The Assembly was attended by H. E. Mwai Kibaki, the President of the Republic of Kenya, H. E. Sheikh Shariff Ahmed, the President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, H.E. Omar El Bashir, the President of The Republic of Sudan H.E. Mahmoud Ali Yousouf, the Minister of Foreign Affairs representing the President of the Republic of Djibouti, and H. E. Sam Kutesa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda.
The Assembly was preceded by the 33rd Extra Ordinary session (Ex.Ord. 2) of IGAD Council of Ministers held in Sirte, Libya. It was also briefed by H. E. Erastus Mwencha, the Deputy Chair of the African Union Commission (AUC), H.E. Mahboub M. Maalim, Executive Secretary of IGAD, and H.E. Kipruto arap Kirwa, IGAD Facilitator for Somalia Peace and National Reconciliation, H.E. Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States and H.E. Amb. Raffaele de Lutio, the Ambassador of Italy to Ethiopia and Chair of IGAD IPF.
After deliberating at length on the prevailing political and security situation, the Assembly adopted and issued the following Communique:
1. Notes with grave concern the current security situation in Somalia and the threat posed to the TFG and the people of Somalia, particularly by the influx of foreign armed aggressors who appear to be determined to prevent Somalia from seeing stabilized and TFG from achieving its objectives of National reconciliation and peace and causing in the process enormous levels of humanitarian crisis.
2. Sends condolences to the families' relatives and friends of the late Minister for Internal Security, the Commissioner of Police for Benadir, the former Somalia Ambassador to Ethiopia and all those who suffered similar casualties.
3. Welcomes the Declaration of cooperation signed on 21st June 2009 between the TFG and the group Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jamaa in which the two agreed to cooperate in politics, peace, security and development.
4. Affirms the critical importance of the proposals contained in the Communiqué issued by IGAD Ministers in their 33rd Extra-Ordinary (Ex.Ord.1) session on 20th May 2009, particularly the request made on the imposition of a no-fly zone and the blockading of identified airports and seaports in Somalia respectively as well as targeted sanctions against all those, and in particular Eritrea who continue to pose obstacles to peace and stability in Somalia through the provision of assistance to the extremists including foreign forces who continue to cause mayhem in Somalia.
5. Calls upon the UN Security Council to review the UNSC Resolution 1725 (2006) para 4 of 6th December 2006 to enable the frontline states to deploy troops to Somalia if need be.
6. Welcomes the Communiqué of the AU Peace and Security Council issued on 22nd May 2009 endorsing the proposal to the United Nations Security Council by IGAD Ministers and expresses its appreciation for this historic decision which will advance the cause of peace and reconciliation in Somalia AND the Communiqués issued by the International Contact Group on 9th - 10th June 2009, particularly its endorsement of the request by IGAD Ministers and the AU Peace and Security Council in their 20th and 22nd June 2009 communiqués respectively.
7. Welcomes further the decision of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union issued on 15th June 2009 to extend the mandate of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) for a further seven months period beginning 17th June 2009 following the UNSC resolution 1872 (2009).
8. Notes with appreciation the consultations and coordination meetings between AMISOM, UNPOS and the Facilitators Office to avoid duplication of activities, wastage of resources and to have a common approach, and commends the joint statement they issued on 20th and 22nd June emphasizing the importance of the requests made by IGAD and AU Peace and Security Council to the UNSC.
9. Expresses appreciation to Uganda and Burundi troops for the sacrifices they continue to make to advance the cause of peace and stability in Somalia and, urges all the other countries who have pledged to contribute troops towards AMISOM to deploy them without further delay so as attain the required strength of 8,000 troops and provide an allowance for a hybrid force in the event the region cannot raise enough battalion.
10. Further calls upon the AU-PSC and the UNSC to review AMISOM rules of engagement to enable the forces enhance their response mechanism to better protect their personnel, equipments, key installations and provide effective support to the TFG.
11. Commits the Governments of IGAD Member states individually and collectively to establish internal mechanisms to effect the sanctions regime called for in the IGAD Council of Ministers Communiqué of 20th May 2009 and create an effective system of sharing the information.
12. Commits further the Governments of IGAD Member States individually and collectively to enact enabling legislations to combat piracy.
13. Welcomes the decision of the Government of Italy in reopening its embassy in Mogadishu and calls upon other international communities to relocate back to Mogadishu as a sign of confidence in the TFG.
14. Expresses appreciation to all the countries and organizations that made pledges in cash and in-kind in support of the Somalia Security Institutions (SSIs) and AMISOM at the International Pledging Conference held in Brussels Belgium on 22nd-23rd April 2009 and calls upon them to ensure that a substantial amount of the donations is remitted directly to the Government of Somalia.
15. Commends and calls UNPOS, UNSOA and the AU Pledge Tracking Team to intensify its engagements with the pledging countries and institutions as well as the UN Controllers office in New York to fast track the collections and payment of the pledges.
16. Calls on all international humanitarian organizations to urgently move in and provide humanitarian assistance to the suffering Somali people especially the women and children, and urges all the neighboring countries to provide safe corridors for humanitarian deliveries.
17. Notes the report by the IGAD Facilitator for Somalia Peace and Reconciliation and directs IGAD Secretariat to ensure the Facilitator is accorded full support.
18. Reaffirms its continued support to TFG and its institutions and further undertakes not to host armed subversive elements against member states.
19. Recognizes with appreciation the efforts of those Somali elders, business community, civil society, Somalia diaspora and religious leaders to end the conflicts in Somalia and urges the TFG to harness these efforts.
20. Reiterates its earlier decision to take the necessary action to impose targeted sanctions including travel bans, freezing of assets among others, against all those in and outside Somalia who have become obstacles to the achievement of peace in Somali.
21. Decides to remain seized of the matter.
Done at Sirte, Libya
30th June 2009