Clinton Pledges Strong Support for Somali Government
By VOA News
06 August 2009
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addresses press conference in Nairobi, 5 Aug 2009
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has pledged strong support for Somalia＇s government as it fights an Islamist insurgency.
Secretary Clinton and Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed spoke at a joint news conference Thursday after meeting in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.
Clinton said the U.S. wants to "expand and extend" American support for President Sharif＇s government.
The United States announced in June that it had provided weapons to the government. Clinton did not specify what form the expanded aid will take.
The secretary also warned Eritrea that it will face penalties unless it ends its support for Somali insurgent groups.
The U.S. accuses Eritrea of arming al-Shabab and other militant groups, and has threatened to seek international sanctions against the Eritrean government.
Islamist insurgent groups led by al-Shabab control much of southern Somalia and parts of the capital, Mogadishu.
The U.S. has accused al-Shabab of having links to al-Qaida, and says the group could turn Somalia into a haven for terrorists.
Speaking earlier at a town hall meeting in Nairobi, Secretary Clinton voiced support for the African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, which protects key government strongholds such as the Mogadishu airport and the presidential palace.
Kenya is the first stop in Clinton＇s seven-nation, 11-day tour of Africa. She is due to travel to South Africa later Thursday.
Later stops on the trip include Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde.
Earlier Thursday, Clinton laid a wreath at a Nairobi memorial to the victims of the 1998 al-Qaida-linked embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania.
A day before the 11th anniversary of the bombings, Clinton said it was a moment to "renew our resolve" and ensure "more innocent lives" are not lost to future attacks.
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