Chinese envoy calls for continued int'l support for Somalia

UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's permanent representative to the UN Zhang Jun on Monday called for continued international support for Somalia's efforts to achieve political stability, security transition, and economic and social reconstruction.

The attention and support of the UN and the international community for Somalia must not waver, as 2024 is critical for the country's political process, security transition and national reconstruction, Zhang said at a Security Council meeting on Somalia.

China supports all parties in Somalia in resolving their differences through dialogue and consultation and advancing the political transition, said Zhang.

"It should be noted that the choice of political system and development path is an internal affair of Somalia. The international community should adhere to the Somali-led and Somali-owned principle and avoid the imposition of an externally imposed governance model," he said.

In terms of Somalia's security transition, Zhang said the international community should support the Somali federal government in consolidating the achievements in counter-terrorism and stability maintenance in the previous phase.

It is necessary to support the Somali security sector in building its capacity to assume greater responsibility for security, he added.

There is also a need to support Somalia's economic and social reconstruction, Zhang said.

China welcomes the recent launch of the Centennial Vision 2060 by the Somali federal government to formulate key tasks for national development, said the envoy.