SOMALIA: UN suspends activities in Mogadishu
The United Nations announced on Tuesday that it was
suspending all activities in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, with effect from
Tuesday 9 May, a press release issued the same day by the office of UN
Resident Humanitarian Coordinator stated. According to the statement the action was taken after kidnappers refused to release an abducted UN staff member.
U N I T E D N A T I O N S
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)
SOMALIA: UN suspends activities in Mogadishu
NAIROBI, 8 May (IRIN) - The United Nations announced on Tuesday that it was
suspending all activities in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, with effect from
Tuesday 9 May, a press release issued the same day by the office of UN
Resident Humanitarian Coordinator stated.
According to the statement the action was taken after kidnappers refused to
release an abducted UN staff member.
"It is with regret that activities designed to assist all the people of
Mogadishu are being suspended due to these unlawful actions by a few
individuals - but this position is being taken in support of our abducted
colleague, and will be maintained until he is released unharmed and without
preconditions," the statement quoted Humanitarian Coordinator Maxwell
Gaylard as saying.
Gaylard expressed concern for the health of Muhammad Ali Abukar, who was
affected by "a serious medical condition", according to the statement.
Abukar was abducted on 28 April by unknown gunmen, who are still holding him
at an unknown location. He is the coordinator of the United Nations
Development Programme's Capacity Building Project in Mogadishu.
The suspension will affect programmes supporting governance and civil
society, including interventions in health, water and sanitation, education
and teacher training, according to the UN statement.
[ENDS]
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