The UN
is planning a "post Djibouti" strategy, in the event that
some kind of transitional authority may be successfully elected
in the peace process and established in Somalia, UN sources
told IRIN. According to the sources, UN policy would be dramatically
affected if a recognised authority was established in Somalia.
In the
absence of a government, the UN has been confined almost exclusively
to a presence in the self-declared state of Somaliland, and
has run extremely costly operations out of Nairobi - it has
been estimated that at least 60% of funding goes on overheads
rather than assistance to Somalia.
UNDP
Somalia said it was putting together a team of consultants
in a technical planning team to build scenarios of post-Djibouti,
outline the implications for UN operational agencies and advise
on potential future aid structures and operations.
The Country
Office, on 7 July, submitted a US$760,000 proposal which included
"support for urgent needs to respond to a post-Djibouti scenario".
The UN officially supports the process - which has the backing
of the Secretary General - but differing views have been expressed
within the various UN organisations over the possible outcome
and impact of the Djibouti-held conference.
These
include fears of increased insecurity in areas where faction
leaders have rejected the process.
David
Stephen, UN Special Representative for Somalia, told IRIN
it would be "unrealistic to expect any elected Somali government
to control all of the territory from day one" but that there
should be understanding that the process was unique to "an
exhausted country without institutions, in a post-conflict,
post-state collapse, post-intervention situation".
He said
the work of a new government would be "incremental" and would
concentrate on a transition to constitutional rule. Meanwhile,
the Somali National Peace Conference is behind schedule and
"very unlikely" to conclude on 15 July, sources in Djibouti
told IRIN.
After
agreeing on a new charter, the conference aims to elect a
Transitional National Assembly, a prime minister and a president.
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