UNITED NATIONS (AFP) — The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution Thursday opening the way to a gradual return of UN staff to Somalia and possibly resulting in the deployment of peacekeepers there.
Resolution 1814 calls on United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon "to establish the necessary security arrangements" to move the UN team currently dealing with Somalia, including the UNPOS political office, from Nairobi to Somalia.
The resolution, drawn up by Britain, also calls on Ban to continue to develop plans "for the possible deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping operation in Somalia to succeed AMISOM," the African Union force currently based there, "taking account of all relevant conditions on the ground."
The Security Council is considering various options to boost the UN role in Somalia, including sending up to 28,500 UN troops and police, provided there is "a viable and inclusive political process" and an agreement to end hostilities.
Somalia has been wracked by conflict since 1991, when former president Mohamed Siad Barre was ousted.
An Islamic militia ousted US-backed warlords from Mogadishu in 2006 and briefly ruled large parts of the country before being defeated by Ethiopian forces last year, but the two sides are still locked in a bloody guerilla war.
The African Union force has been in Mogadishu since March 2007 but is undermanned and underfunded, and both the organization and certain Security Council members, including South Africa, are hoping the UN will take over.
UN-brokered talks between Somali government officials and exiled Islamist leaders began in Djibouti Monday.
South African Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo welcomed the adoption of a "very, very good resolution" Thursday, saying it sent a signal to the Somali people "for the first time" that the UN was considering sending peacekeepers.
Resolution 1814 also reiterated the council's support for the European countries, including France, taking action to protect World Food Program ships bound for Somalia from pirates operating in its otherwise lawless waters.
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