The leaders of two of Somalia's semi-autonomous regions Monday committed to a peaceful settlement of their dispute and adopted a four-point plan to ensure that hostilities between the two territories do not recur, the United Nations political office for the country said. The agreement between Mohamed Ahmed Alin, the President of the Galmudug state, and Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud “Farole,” the President of Puntland was signed on the sidelines of the Consultative Meeting for Ending the Transition in Somalia, which got under way in the capital, Mogadishu, on Monday. “I am most gratified that the United Nations was able to bring the parties together in the margins of the Consultative Meeting and that they decided, in a spirit of brotherly reconciliation, to put aside their differences which had threatened to undermine this important moment in the peace process,” said Augustine Mahiga, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, who is facilitating the three-day meeting. Alin and Mohamud agreed to implement and maintain an immediate cease fire establish and maintain direct communication at the highest level address future issues in a non-violent and cooperative manner and recognize that they face a common threat from insurgent groups. “Puntland and Galmudug are on Somalia's front lines in the ongoing fight against violent extremists that increasingly are relying on terror tactics to try and disrupt the Peace Process. “As we work together at this important conference to adopt a roadmap for ending the transitional period in Somalia, I am most encouraged that the two leaders showed such statesmanship in agreeing to work together to resolve their differences peacefully. The UN continues to stand ready to assist,” said Mahiga. According to media reports, up to 30 people were killed and scores wounded when forces of the two self-declared autonomous regions clashed last week over where border lies in the town of Galkayo. The pact was signed in the presence of Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan, the Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament, the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, and a number of ministers and other high-ranking officials. BM/UN
