African armies planning the first foreign military presence in Somalia in a decade know they are taking risks in a state that humbled US forces but must act, and soon, to end chaos there, an organiser said on Saturday. East African countries agreed at an African Union (UN) summit in Nigeria this week to send a peace support mission to Somalia to help a fledgling administration return from the safety of Kenya where it was created at peace talks last year.
It is a bold move by Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti, Kenya and Ethiopia, not just because of peacekeeping's sorry record in the volatile state but also because some members of the government it is meant to support believe it is unnecessary, diplomats say.
"There is a risk, but contributing countries are prepared to live with this risk. The pressure is on to have the force deployed as soon as possible," Peter Marwa, a soldier-turned diplomat who works for the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) mediation group.
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