Momentum must be sustained to bring peace to Somalia
- UN Secretary-General

While steady progress has been made in bringing stability to Somalia, the momentum must be sustained in order to bring a lasting peace to the country.

That's according to the UN Secretary-General, who spoke at a high-level meeting on the years-long internal conflict which has plagued the Horn of Africa country.

After almost two-and-a-half decades of conflict and turmoil, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Somalia is poised to turn a corner in its efforts toward peace and stability.

The UN chief said everyone must work together to ensure smooth, inclusive elections in the coming year. Doing so, he added, would provide a pathway from the violence waged by the al-Shabab insurgent group.

"We must help Somali authorities forge a viable alternative: notably by building a State that offers political inclusion, security, justice and economic opportunity to all."

More than a million Somalis are internally displaced, while 855,000 others are said to face acute food insecurity.


SOURCE: Veronica Reeves, United Nations.