UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council on Monday called for urgent international contributions to a UN fund to battle a devastating famine in Somalia that has killed tens of thousands of people.
But the council also warned Somalia's transitional government that future international support would be conditional on it meeting targets for boosting security and services over the next year.
The 15-member body expressed "serious concern" in a statement read by India's UN ambassador, Hardeep Singh Puri, council president for August, that the UN's 2.4-billion-dollar famine appeal remains less than half funded.
UN agencies are struggling to get aid to parts of Somalia that are controlled by Islamist insurgents and the council warned "all parties and armed groups to ensure full, safe and unhindered access for the timely delivery of humanitarian aid."
Amid rising concerns about Somalia's future with the famine adding to a crippling insurgency, the Security Council gave "strong" backing to UN efforts to help the transitional government battling to establish its authority.
Somalia political groups -- but not the insurgents -- are to meet next month to set out a government plan for the next 12 months with set targets for improving the performance of transitional federal institutions (TFIs).
"The members of the Security Council noted that future support to the TFIs would be contingent upon completion of the tasks in the roadmap," said the statement.
Somalia has had no effective government since the downfall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011
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