President Kenyatta said Kenya would continue to partner with all the stakeholders to achieve the AMISOM’s goal of restoring normalcy in Somalia.
“It is through our concerted efforts that we can restore peace, security, stability and ultimately, hope and prosperity in our region,” he said.
Noting that military intervention alone was not adequate to stabilize Somalia, the President told the summit that political processes both at local and national levels were necessary for real progress to be made.
President Kenyatta expressed concern over the continued insecurity in some parts of Somalia: “This state of affairs is detrimental to the envisaged reconstruction, development of Somalia and the eventual return of the Somali Diaspora.”
Kenya is home to more than a million refugees. The Government has made it known that it wants them sent back to their homes to help build their country. President Kenyatta said he wanted to see appropriate measures put in place to encourage more Somalis to go home and contribute to the development of their country.
The summit, chaired by President Yoweri Museveni, was also attended by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia and Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. It was preceded by a meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Ministers of Defence of the countries contributing troops to AMISOM.
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