Kenya's military to receive U.S. aid

The United States is to provide Kenya financial aid to assist military operations supporting the African Union Mission in Somalia. U.S. State Department Special Representative to Somalia James Swan said that Washington since 2007 has provided $340 million in voluntary assistance to African countries contributing troops to Amisom operations. "The cost of an expanded Amisom, augmented troop levels and associated logistics included, will significantly increase the assessed costs for all U.N. member states," Swan said during a teleconference at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi. "Furthermore, with the proposed troop increase, the donor community will be faced with tens of millions in additional bilateral costs to train and equip the new forces." The United States has strongly supported Amisom's efforts to counteract al-Shabaab's rising influence in Somalia, as the militant Islamic organization battles the government for control of the capital Mogadishu. Swan urged support for Amisom's recent progress in taking control of Mogadishu districts from al-Shabaab. "The United States believes a key priority that straddles security, politics and recovery is how to govern and assist in areas recaptured from al-Shabaab," he said. "It is urgent to avoid security and governance vacuum in these locations and to provide a rapid recovery where al-Shabaab has left." Since 2006, al-Shabaab has come increasingly to control increasing swathes of central and southern Somalia since emerging as a strong political and fighting force. Ethiopia has sent troops to Somalia to oust the Islamist Union of Islamic courts movement, with which al-Shabaab was affiliated. Al-Shabaab is attempting to topple the Western-backed Somali government in Mogadishu, which is currently protected by roughly 10,000 Amisom soldiers drawn from Burundi, Djibouti and Uganda. Hopes are high in Somalia for the outcome of Thursday's London Conference on Somalia to help lead to peace and stability for beleaguered nation, which has spiraled into chaos since 1991. "I have hopes and fears for the outcome of the London conference," said Somalia's National Disaster Management Agency head Abdullahi Shirwa. "My hope is that there will be a coordinated intervention plan from the international community and we will not have the current haphazard intervention. "Secondly, I hope whatever is decided (ensures) that the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity will be safeguarded and respected." Shirwa added that he would like to see a "clear commitment" from the international community to Somalia. And that commitment should cover humanitarian, political and economic aspects. "I would also like to see that help inside Somalia," he said. "It does not matter what city or region. You cannot help Somalia from Nairobi, Geneva or New York. It has to be inside (Somalia) to have any tangible effect. "My fear is of an outcome that legitimizes a parallel intervention whereby the African Union is doing its own thing, the U.N. something else."