DPI PUBLISHES 'THE UNITED NATIONS AND SOMALIA, 1992-1996'

Press Release
PI/928

DPI PUBLISHES 'THE UNITED NATIONS AND SOMALIA, 1992-1996'

The United Nations operation in Somalia, the first time peace-keepers ventured into a failed State, was one of the most complex and intensely debated in the Organization's history.

In The United Nations and Somalia, 1992-1996, the eighth volume of the "blue books" series published today by the Department of Public Information, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali offers his account of the United Nations's experience in Somalia in an extensive introduction.

While the United Nations succeeded in ending the war-induced famine which ravaged the country in 1992, the operation also made clear the limitations of a combined peace-keeping, peace enforcement and humanitarian mission in a situation where the resolve to reconcile political differences is weak. Above all, Somalia highlighted the urgent need for the international community to consider the mechanisms through which it can respond when all systems of government collapse and a country ceases to function as a State.

As the Secretary-General writes, "At the present time, the international community does not seem to have the will or the resources to intervene effectively in support of a failed State". In terms of present-day Somalia, the Secretary-General states, "The situation ... will continue to deteriorate until the political will exists among the parties to reach a peaceful solution to their dispute, or until the international community gives itself new instruments to address the phenomenon of a failed State."

Despite the circumstances which prevented the operation -- the United Nations Operation in Somalia (UNOSOM) I and II and the United States-led Unified Task Force -- from carrying out its mandate fully, the United Nations can take considerable satisfaction in having curbed the rampant violence and saved countless lives, states the Secretary-General. By the time the last of the UNOSOM II forces departed in March 1995, the acute phase of the emergency in Somalia had been overcome and the scale of fighting and insecurity were significantly reduced. The health and nutritional status of the population had improved significantly, contrasting with the situation at the peak of the crisis in 1992, when some 3,000 Somalis were dying from starvation every day. Thanks to the work of the Organization, its agencies and non-governmental organization partners, schools have reopened, health centres are functioning

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and economic activity, particularly in the vital agricultural sector, has begun to revive.

In addition to the introduction, The United Nations and Somalia, 1992- 1996, contains more than 100 documents, including:

-- Resolutions of the General Assembly and of the Security Council;

-- Reports and previously unpublished correspondence of the Secretary- General;

-- Political agreements reached by the Somali parties; and

-- International appeals, plans of action and other materials related to the efforts of the United Nations and non-governmental organizations to provide emergency famine relief and humanitarian assistance.

The book also features a detailed chronology of events.

The "blue books" series covers major developments of the past five decades in which the United Nations has played a leading role. The series is designed to provide primary research and reference tools to historians, policy makers, journalists and others interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the work of the Organization.

The first book in the series, The United Nations and Apartheid, 1948- 1994, was published in December 1994. Also available are The United Nations and Cambodia, 1991-1995, The United Nations and Nuclear Non-Proliferation, The United Nations and El Salvador, 1990-1995, The United Nations and Mozambique, 1992-1995, The United Nations and the Advancement of Women, 1945-1995 and The United Nations and Human Rights, 1945-1995. The United Nations and the Iraq- Kuwait Conflict, 1990-1996 is expected to be published in the first half of this year.

The United Nations and Somalia, 1992-1996 (518 pages) is available as a sales item. For more information, please contact United Nations Publications, Room DC2-0853, Dept. 184A, New York, N.Y. 10017, tel. (800) 253-9646 and (212) 963-8302, fax (212) 963-3489; United Nations Publications, Sales Office and Bookshop, CH-1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland, tel. 41-22-917-2614, fax 41-22-917- 0027; or United Nations Information Centres around the world.

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Note:Review copies of The United Nations and Somalia, 1992-1996 are available from the United Nations Publications Office.