October 17, 2001:

Today's meetings of the Prime Minister at the UN included talks with the Russian Ambassador, the Chinese Ambassador, and the UNDP Administrator.

The Prime Minister reviewed together with the Russian and the Chinese Ambassadors the Report of the Secretary-General on the Situation in Somalia, which will be debated in the Security Council on October 19, 2001.

The Prime Minister informed the Ambassadors that the security situation in Somalia has improved.

The OAU Summit recently held in Lusaka expressed satisfaction at the progress made by Transitional National Government in the establishment of peace and security in the country and requested the OAU and the International Community to continue assist the Government in this regard.

The Prime Minister and his delegation briefed the Ambassadors on the progress made in terms of the deployment of the police force in Mogadishu and its surroundings.

Over eight thousand policemen are now deployed and all checkpoints and intersections are in the hands of the police. In terms of reconciliation, the Ambassadors demonstrated a keen interest in the newly formed National Reconciliation Commission, which will function independently of the Government.

They have also commended the Government's decision to establish the Anti-Terrorism Task Force, and pledged that they would continue supporting the Transitional National Government and the outcome of Arta Peace Conference.

They have promised to recommend for the establishment of the Peace Building Office for Somalia and for the immediate dispatch of a mission to assess the situation in Somalia In a lengthy meeting with Mr. Malloch Brown, the UNDP Administrator, the Somali Prime Minister expressed his hopes that the issue of the assessment mission to Somalia would be attended to at the earliest possible.

Mr. Brown promised to mobilize more resources and indicated "UNDP wants to go an extra mile with the Transitional National Government". He went further to say that UNDP is committed to see the Somali Government succeed. Mr. Brown has also confirmed that the UNDP will re-start its Country Programme for Somalia and closely work with the Transitional National Government in starting the TONKTEN Programme.