Arab League takes in the Somali peace conference in Djibouti

Diplomatic sources in Cairo said the Arab League will take part in the conference of national peace for reconciliation on Somalia to be held in Djibouti on April 15-20 with the participation of members of civil society and Somali cultural figures. The sources said the Somali military factions are not participating.

The Arab League assistant secretary general for Arab affairs, Ahmad Bin Hali, said that the expected conference is considered one of the Djibouti initiative's steps for establishing peace and stability in Somalia.

Bin Hali added that a seven-member Arab committee in charge of following up the Somali crisis is called on to continue its contacts with various sides in Somalia and with regional and international organizations concerned in order to back positive developments on Somalia.

He also made an appeal to somali factions to fully cooperate in the conference and help implement the Djibouti initiative to foster national reconciliation and restore authority in the country.

Djibouti president Ismail Omar Guellech's peace-plan calls warring somali parties to disarm troops and turn factions into political parties and yield to legal official authority in a bid to reduce the power of warlords and restore national unity