The Secretary-General's Special Representative for Somalia, Francois Lonseny Fall, visited Uganda today for discussions on the Somali peace process. In a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sam Kutesa, Ambassador Fall emphasized the importance of the Khartoum III round of talks scheduled for 30 October and the need for international encouragement to sustain the dialogue between the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) based in Baidoa and the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) established in Mogadishu.

The visit to Uganda is part of a seven-nation mission to promote peace and reconciliation in Somalia. In recent weeks, Ambassador Fall has visited Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Yemen for consultations with their respective leaders. Khartoum (30 October) will be the last leg of the current mission.