Various international and local diplomatic and humanitarian efforts in the Somali Civil War have been in effect since the conflict first began in the early 1990s. The latter include diplomatic initiatives put together by the African Union, the Arab League and the European Union, as well as humanitarian efforts led by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP), the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) and the Somali Red Crescent Society (SRCS).

Diplomatic initiatives

UN Security Council Resolutions

On December 6, 2006, the UN Security Council passed a pair of resolutions involving Somalia:

Resolution 1724, stresses the arms embargo on Somalia and calls all UN member nations to avoid exacerbating the conflict by shipping arms into the region.S/RES/1724 (2006): The situation in Somalia (PDF) UN Security Council Resolution 1725, authorizes "IGAD and Member States of the African Union to establish a protection and training mission in Somalia." This mission was dubbed IGASOM, and for the purposes of their mission, the arms embargo was lifted to allow them to bring weapons into the country.S/RES/1725 (2006): The situation in Somalia (PDF) UN Security CouncilUN approves Somalia resolution MISNA

Somali reaction to the resolutions was generally positive for supporters of the TFG, Shabelle Media Network and negative for supporters of the ICU. Shabelle Media Networks

IGAD and AU members balked at creating the necessary peacekeeping force. There was ICU resistance to allowing Ethiopian troops be part of the mission, for instance. Uganda, the one nation that initially committed to provide a battalion of troops, later backed away from its pledge when the Islamists threatened to attack any UN peacekeepers that entered the country. Shabelle Media Network Shabelle Media Networks In its defense, the current crisis does not allow for peacekeepers when there is active hostilities conducted with heavy weapons (see Battle of Baidoa).

On December 26, at 3 pm New York time (2000 GMT), the UN Security Council heard a briefing on the crisis by special envoy for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall of Guinea.UN council sets urgent meeting on Somalia conflict Reuters In the briefing, he said all UN and NGO staff had been evacuated from the area, including the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team. The fighting had put nearly 2 million flood-affected persons at severe risk.U.N. council Somalia emergency meeting UPI

Kofi Annan called Ethiopian and Kenyan leaders to attempt to arrange a halt to the fighting, while the Security Council was briefed on the situation.As Somalia fighting flares, Annan calls African leaders while envoy urges Council to act UN

On December 27, the UN Security Council remained deadlocked for the second day, with council chair Qatar refusing to budge over the demand for withdrawal of Ethiopian troops from the country.Somalia peace talks stall at UN ABC News

Intergovernmental Authority on Development By the authority of UN Security Council 1725, the member states of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development IGAD and the African Union (AU) are chartered to conduct a peacekeeping mission to Somalia. Dubbed IGASOM, the mission would seek to put UN-sanctioned peacekeepers in the country for the first time since the 1992-1995 missions (UNOSOM I, UNITAF, and UNOSOM II).

On December 2, 2006, representatives of IGAD and the ICU met and published a cordial and formal communiqueCommunique (PDF) IGAD committing the ICU to the IGAD plans. Subsequently, the ICU has declared its opposition to the mission.

IGASOM never deployed to Somalia. Instead, in early 2007, the mission was expanded to invite willing members of the broader African Union, and dubbed the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM).

African Union

By the authority of UN Security Council 1725, the member states of IGAD and the African Union (AU) are chartered to conduct a peacekeeping mission to Somalia. Originally dubbed IGASOM, the mission would seek to put UN-sanctioned peacekeepers in the country for the first time since the 1992-1995 missions (UNOSOM I, UNITAF, and UNOSOM II). IGASOM never deployed to Somalia. Instead, in early 2007, the mission was expanded to invite willing members of the broader African Union, and dubbed the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM).

On January 6, 2005, the original plans for the AU to put peacekeepers in Somalia was first agreed by the AU Peace and Security Council. Uganda was cited as the first nation to commit troops to the mission. Yet the mission did not materialize as planned. A year later, no AU or IGAD peacekeepers had been deployed.SOMALIA: African Union to deploy peacekeepers IRIN

On December 23, 2006, the AU issued a release signed by AU President Alpha Oumar Konaré calling for a cease fire.Somalia Crisis Worries African Union Prensa Latina

On December 26, 2006, the AU implicitly backed Ethiopia's intervention on behalf of the Somali Transitional Federal Parliament of the Somali Republic. AU spokesman Patrick Mazimhaka was quoted as saying "We do not criticise Ethiopia because Ethiopia has given us ample warning that they are threatened by the Islamic Courts group."AU backs Ethiopian strikes on Somalia ABC

On January 14, 2007, an AU delegation arrived in Mogadishu to discuss the deployment of international peacekeepers.

AMISOM and TFG troops had effectively pushed out al-Shabaab from Mogadishu, the Somali capital, by August 2011.

The U.N. would approve AMISOM efforts in 6 month increments, with the option to renew. Through 2012, troops have been approved to battle the al-Shabaab insurgents. On February 22, 2012, The U.N. also voted to increase the number of authorized troops to 17,700 from 12,000 and to expand the scope of the mission.

Yemen

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh met separately with both TFG and ICU representatives respectively on December 5 and December 6 to see if rapprochement might be possible between the parties. However, for now, both parties said a dialogue was impossible because of increased tensions and fighting. Shabelle Media Network Shabelle Media Network

European Union

On December 20, 2006, just as major hostilities were breaking out, European Union Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Louis Michel conducted shuttle diplomacy between the TFG seat in Baidoa and the ICU government seat in Mogadishu. The warring parties agreed to talk, but the conflict continued to rage on, worrying observers whether the prospects of talks are moot for now.Somalis clash as EU envoy jets in to push talks Reuters Shabelle Media NetworksSomalia: ICU and TFG accept peace dialogue as fighting continues SomaliNet

On December 25, the EU Presidency, held by Finland, issued a plea to end the fighting in Somalia.EU Presidency issues statement on Somalia Xinhua EU Commissioner Louis Michel likewise called for the TFG and ICU to resume talks in Khartoum.EU condemns escalation of conflict in Somalia Xinhua

On January 3, 2007, EU leaders met and agreed it was unlikely for them to send any peacekeepers to Somalia, and were also unclear about what financial assistance they might give a peacekeeping mission, but affirmed their interest to continue humanitarian support to the nation.ROUNDUP: EU Unlikely To Send Peacekeepers To War-torn Somalia DPA

Arab League

Somalia is an official member of the League of Arab States or Arab League. On December 23, 2006, Samir Hosni, Director of African Affairs for the Arab League called for a halt to the violence. The Arab League seeks to co-sponsor peace talks with the African Union. Xinhua

In Egypt, Somalia was discussed, as well as conflicts in Lebanon and Chad, at a meeting between Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit (also "Abu-al-Ghayt") and Sudanese Arab League envoy to Lebanon Mustafa Osman Ismail.Egypt, Sudan discuss Lebanon, Somalia, Chad Sudan Tribune

On December 24, 2006, in Cairo, Arab League Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs Ahmed bin Hilli made an appeal for a cessation of fighting in an interview with al-Arabiya television of Dubai.Arab League calls for dialogue to halt fighting in Somalia Xinwua

On December 26, an Arab League spokesman said his organization would like all hostilities to stop and warring parties to respect the binding agreements they signed before world community. He said Somalia doesn't need outside intervention and Ethiopia must leave Somalia.Somalia: War bulletin for December 26, 2006 SomaliNet

United States

On December 23, 2006, US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice met with Ugandan Foreign Minister Sam Kutesa to urge Uganda to take a leading role in establishing peacekeeping operations in Somalia through IGAD. Shabelle Media Networks In 2011, the United States provided approximately $565 million in humanitarian assistance for the horn of Africa.

Humanitarian efforts

United Nations

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

The UN runs various humanitarian efforts in Somalia aimed at redressing issues brought on by the protracted conflict, mainly in the southern part of the country. Eric Laroche was assigned as the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for all local relief efforts.Eric Laroche, United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia IRC

OCHA had deployed the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC), but intermittently had to suspend operations due to security concerns resulting from the heavy fighting.UNDAC OCHA

High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) The UNHCR has a presence throughout Puntland, Somaliland, and southern and central Somalia. Although the UNHCR's coordination program for Somalia is based in Nairobi, Kenya, the UN moved its overall headquarters for the country in 2012 to Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, on account of improved security.

The UNHCR's Deputy High Commissioner, Wendy Chamberlin, spent a great deal of time in 2006 focusing efforts on the Horn of Africa, which had been struck by terrible drought, followed by torrential floods.Deputy High Commissioner Chamberlin visits flood-hit camps in Kenya UNHCR

On December 26, 2006, UN High Commissioner on Refugees António Guterres made an appeal to end the crisis in the region and warned of large-scale displacements if fighting continued.Guterres warns of possible large-scale displacement in Somalia UNHCR

Through 2012, the UNHCR expects to sustain delivery of relief supplies to affected persons so as to address the lingering effects of the 2011 Eastern Africa drought.

UNICEF

In 2006, UNICEF provided care to 250,000 out of the 330,000 people affected by floods that hit the southern Shabelle and Juba river valley areas of Somalia.UNICEF assisting 250,000 flood-hit Somalis UNICEF Among other programs, it also operated the Bay Project 1 (BP1) camp in Baidoa near the frontlines for internally displaced persons (IDPs) who lived in the area prior to the resumption of fighting.Camp in Baidoa is home to IDPs UNICEF

World Food Programme

Since November 2011, all food transported by the World Food Programme (WFP) has come by sea. The WFP ships carrying food to Somalia have been accompanied by naval escorts from Operation Atalanta and NATO; since the WFP started using naval escorts, none of the ships have been attacked en route to the ports.