GALKAYO, Somalia, President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed today called for the United Nations (UN) Security Council to urgently exempt national security and international peacekeeping forces from the arms embargo and support the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in its mission toward establishing long lasting peace and good governance.

"As the UN Security Council meets on July 14th, we urge prompt modification of the arms embargo provisions to allow our national security force and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development Somalia Mission (IGADSOM) peacekeeping forces to sufficiently stabilize conditions in Somalia as we return to govern from our homeland," President Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed stated.

The Somali TFG seeks exemption on the arms embargo to set the country on the path of long lasting democracy at this critical juncture in its reestablishment effort. President Abdulahi Yusuf Ahmed added, "It is imperative that the UN facilitate our goal of making Somalia a stable nation. We are not looking for a permanent removal of the arms embargo, rather seeking support and the resources necessary to deploy our national security force and international peacekeeping mission."

Contact: Hibo Mohamed Elmi of the Transitional Federal Government of the Somali Republic Office of the President, 508-308-0698 or SomaliGovernmentPublicRelations@yahoo.com