Japan to offer $35 mil. aid to Somalia

Japan will offer Somalia over 35 million dollars in aid to train police officers and to provide food for refugees.

Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada met his counterpart Ali Ahmed Jama in Tokyo on Monday. They exchanged views on piracy off the coast of the east African country.

Ali said pirates are using the unstable situation in his country to their advantage. He added that it is important to crack down not only on their activities on the sea, but also those on land.

Okada said a stable Somalia is essential for peace in the entire region.

They agreed that the African Unions' peace keeping operations must be enforced after discussing Islamic insurgents in Somalia and their ties with the international terrorist group Al Qaeda.

The Somali government collapsed nearly 20 years ago when clashes among various militia groups, including Islamic insurgents, became heated. An interim government was established 5 years ago, but it only functions in some areas of the capital.

2010/02/09 07:28(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)