Nigeria and ECOWAS to respond to famine in Somalia
By Correspondent Chinyere Ogbonna – ECOWAS Chairman President, Goodluck Jonathan has expressed concern at the famine in Somalia.
He pledged that Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS], would make appropriate responses at the forthcoming pledging conference to be held in Addis Ababa,the Ethiopian capital on the 25th of this month.
President Jonathan was speaking when former Ghanaian President, Jerry John Rawlings, African Union High Representative for Somalia, came to brief him on the situation in Somalia, and seek a response to the conference.
He described as worrisome the famine in the Horn of Africa.
President Jonathan said African leaders must take action to help this unfortunate situation, adding that ECOWAS would discuss the matter during its next meetings of the Ministerial Council and the Authority of the Heads of State and Government, next month.
President Jonathan agreed with former President Rawlings that African leaders must show a commitment to helping the people of Somalia at this critical time of their lives.
The former Ghanaian leader, President Jerry Rawlings, had said the Somalia situation was a catastrophe that had to be remedied through concerted action by African leaders and corporate organisations.
He stated that the Chairman of the African Union, President Obiang Nguema Mbassogo of Equatorial Guinea, expected political and corporate leaders in the continent to show a commitment to seeking a solution to this problem.
The AU High Representative said August 15, this year would be declared Somalia Day, while a Pledging Conference on Somalia was being planned for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on August 25, 2011.
