AU fails to secure Somali force

[muriel_volestrangler]

African Union leaders have failed to secure full numbers for a planned peacekeeping force in Somalia, following a two-day summit in Ethiopia.

Speaking at the closure, new AU chairman John Kufuor said several nations had pledged troops - but so far they had only 4,000 out of 8,000.

The force is due to replace withdrawing Ethiopian soldiers, whose intervention swept Islamists from power last month.
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Earlier on Tuesday, Somalia's President Abdullahi Yusuf announced a reconciliation conference - the date still to be confirmed - saying it would give all Somalis "a fair chance" to participate in efforts to return to lasting stability.

He said the conference would include clan and religious leaders but he did not say whether moderates from the ousted Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) would be invited.

European Union Development Commissioner Louis Michel said this meant the EU would be able to release 15m euros ($20m) to fund the peacekeeping force.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6312217.stm