Somalia Conference in London: more guns will not bring peace

Published: 8th May 2013

Regarding the Somalia Conference in London, Oxfam says:

"For lasting peace in Somalia, there needs to be a combination of stability and economic development. More guns will not bring peace to Somalia, and could make things worse for Somalis unless leaders also invest in human rights training for police and government soldiers. The security forces need to be equipped to address sexual violence, respect human rights and safeguard humanitarian law.

"In all the new initiatives and plans for Somalia, we must not forget that more than one million people still rely on humanitarian aid, and malnutrition rates are still among the highest in the world. It will take genuine investment in healthcare, education and business for the country to recover from decades of conflict and drought. By supporting young men to find jobs and farmers to prepare for poor rains, we could help support real change in Somalia."

Contact information

Geno Teofilo, Media Lead, Oxfam in Somalia:

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