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Conference details

The UK will host the London conference on Somalia on 23 February. We have secured senior attendance from the region, including from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, as well as from the United States, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Sweden, the African Union and the European Union. The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend.

All together we expect around 40 governments to be represented, along with those multi-lateral organisations already mentioned, plus the World Bank, the Inter-Governmental Authority for Development, the Organisation of Islamic Conference, and the League of Arab States.  

Representatives from Somalia will attend, including the leaders of the transitional federal institutions; the Mayor of Mogadishu, the Presidents of Puntland and Galmudug; and representatives of Aluh Sunnah wal Jamaah. The President of Somaliland will attend, and we welcome the experience that Somaliland can provide of peace building in the region.  

The international community hopes to agree a series of practical measures which will be published in the form of a communiqué at the end of the conference. Discussion will be arranged under seven headings:

• Security: sustainable funding for the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and support for Somali security and justice sectors
• Political Process: agreement to what should succeed the transitional institutions in Mogadishu in August 2012 and the establishment of a Joint Financial Management Board
• Local Stability: a coordinated international package of support to Somalia’s regions
• Counter-terrorism: renewed commitment to tackle collectively the terrorist threat emanating from Somalia
• Piracy: breaking the piracy business model  
• Humanitarian: renewed commitment to tackling Somalia’s humanitarian crisis
• International coordination: agreement on improved international handling of Somalia issues

Agenda

The conference will be opened by Prime Minister David Cameron, with key note speeches from:

• US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton
• UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon
• President of Somalia, Sheikh Sharif Ahmed
• President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni
• Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi
• French Foreign Minister, Allan Juppé
• President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki
• Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmet Davutoğlu
• Qatari Foreign Affairs Minister, Hamad Bin Jassim.

After the opening remarks, the conference will be split into three sessions:

• political process
• security
• stability and recovery

The conference will end at 15.30.

The Somalia Conference will be followed by press conferences at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, led by the Prime Minister with statements from:

• UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon
• Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Jean Ping
• US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton
• Prime Minister of Somalia Abdiweli Mohamed Ali.

Press enquiries

Media seeking accreditation, or those with questions about the conference, should visit the London Conference on Somalia website

Public enquiries 

Sadly, given space and logistical constraints, it is not possible for us to open the Conference to members of the public. However, there are other ways to join the debate.  

Useful links

• UK in Somalia