Addis Ababa Agreement (1993)

Somali delegates applauded his words, many later saying they appreciated and respected Meles`s openness and his experience of bringing his rebels to power in Addis Ababa in May 1991. „He pushed us to make this deal, but he speaks to us like a brother,“ said one Somali delegate. „We know he sympathizes with our Somali problem.“ The agreement provides that a National Transitional Council, a federal administration, is Somalia`s supreme authority until a national government is formed within two years, Mawlawi said. No timetable has been set and UN officials said they would not be able to confirm a ceasefire committee meeting in Mogadishu, Somalia, until the end of the week. Disarmament comes first The first priority is disarmament. The agreement states that the United Nations and United States armed forces must contribute to „a substantial conclusion of disarmament within 90 days“ and that „disarmament must be complete, impartial and transparent.“ During the talks, Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali sent telegrams to Somali leaders warning them of the consequences if they fail to reach an agreement. Ethiopian President Meles Zenawi held closed-door marathon meetings with Somali leaders. And in a show of force designed as a warning to troublemakers of all stripes, the U.S. military last week sent 2,000 troops to Kismayu to maintain order. The Transitional Council was a compromise between Mr. Aidid and his rival Mohammed Ali Mahdi.

The northern part of Somalia, which the dominant Issak clan declared an independent nation of Somaliland, is not included in the agreement, but representatives have been invited to participate. Aideed and two other groups in his Somali National Alliance had stubbornly opposed signing a reconciliation agreement with smaller groups they considered insignificant. It was only after a night session with Meles, during which he warned Aideed and his ally, Colonel Omar Jess, that they would be isolated, that the two men gave in, said sources who attended the private meetings. This morning, during a meeting with Ali Mahdi`s allies, who were suspicious of any attempt to help impose a ceasefire, they were also armed. As soon as the agreement was signed, further fighting was reported in central Somalia. The pact also came two days after U.S. troops stormed and confiscated an arsenal of one of the main warlords, Mohamed Farah Aideed. Then the agreement was ready to be signed last Wednesday, when the two most powerful group leaders refused to sign. Apparently, they started arguing about the composition of the national government when they went to their cars to go to the signing ceremony. Aideed wants an immediate ceasefire without preconditions, which his opponents fear will command, command, beyond the traditional borders of his clan.

The conference`s sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the 11 political groups that have allied themselves in bulk with Ali Mahdi Mohamed, acting nominal president and aideed`s rival, do not want a ceasefire until the clans return to their home regions. In addition, Aideed wants U.S. military observers for the ceasefire, according to the sources, while the Ali Mahdi group wants to see the United Nations as observers. The 14 groups are due to meet by the weekend to decide on the implementation of a ceasefire. They are also expected to make recommendations on the agenda and composition of the reconciliation conference to be held on 15 March.