NAIROBI, 20 October 2007 (IRIN) - ETHIOPIA: UN and government agree aid delivery to Somali region SUDAN: Southern leaders in talks to salvage unity government SUDAN: Stakes raised over southern agreement - analyst SUDAN: WFP condemns death of lorry drivers in Darfur SOMALIA: UN compound stormed amid escalating violence in Mogadishu

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ETHIOPIA: Encouraging farmers to boost productivity http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74826  

ETHIOPIA: UN and government agree aid delivery to Somali region

In a bid to avert a humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia's Somali region, the government and the UN have agreed measures to ensure that food aid, medicines and other relief supplies reach vulnerable people in the area.

The UN and Ethiopia's Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Agency are to establish joint support centres in the most affected areas of the southeastern Somali region to facilitate the logistics of delivering relief food, medicine, veterinary services and livelihood support, according to a statement issued on 18 October by the office of the UN resident representative in Addis Ababa, the capital.

"The Ethiopian Government has assured the UN that humanitarian activities within Somali region will be unrestricted," said Fidele Sarassoro, UN Humanitarian Coordinator and Resident Representative. "These developments are very good news for the people of the region. We applaud the excellent collaboration we have seen thus far." Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74861

SUDAN: Southern leaders in talks to salvage unity government

Leaders of the two major coalition partners in the Sudanese government of national unity were meeting in the capital, Khartoum, on 18 October to try to resolve a stalemate surrounding participation by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM), sources said.

"Discussions are going on between the First Vice-President and President of Southern Sudan [Salva Kiir Mayardit] and President [Omar el] Bashir," Southern Sudan Information Minister Samson Kwaje said. "Nothing much will happen until they resolve the contentious issues raised by the SPLM."

The SPLM suspended its participation in the government on 11 October, accusing the north of violating the terms of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and failing to implement the accord. Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74849

SUDAN: Stakes raised over southern agreement - analyst

The decision by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM) to rejoin the Khartoum government days after pulling out has raised the stakes in the implementation of the southern peace agreement, an analyst said.

"The SPLM withdrawal and return was a case of ringing the alarm bells to attract more international attention," said Mariam Jooma, an analyst at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies. "It has reaffirmed the need to implement the CPA [Comprehensive Peace Agreement]."

However, the decision will raise friction between the country's leaders leading to more tensions between the moderates and hardliners. The removal of some key ministers at this time could also affect the outcome of talks on Darfur due to begin in Libya on 27 October.

The SPLM announced the boycott on 11 October, accusing the north of violating the terms of the 2005 CPA and failing to implement the accord. The decision drew a quick reaction from various quarters, with donors and the UN calling for urgent dialogue to resolve the stalemate. Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74824

SUDAN: WFP condemns death of lorry drivers in Darfur

Unidentified assailants have shot and killed three lorry drivers contracted by the UN World Food Programme (WFP) in the war-scarred western Sudanese region of Darfur, the organisation said.

Two of the men, who were killed on 16 October, worked for the Abbarci trucking company, WFP said.

"WFP is deeply saddened and shocked by the killings of these brave men, who knew the dangers they were facing but continued to work tirelessly to alleviate suffering and bring food to the hungry in Darfur," said Kenro Oshidari, WFP Sudan representative. Full report http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74832

SOMALIA: UN compound stormed amid escalating violence in Mogadishu

Dozens of heavily armed government security officials detained the head of the World Food Programme (WFP) office in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 17 October, an act decried by the UN organisation as a violation of international law.

In a statement, WFP called for "the immediate release of Mr Idris Osman, WFP's officer-in-charge of our Mogadishu office, who was taken at gunpoint by the Somali National Security Service (NSS) after the storming of a UN compound in Mogadishu this morning at 0815 local time by 50-60 heavily armed and uniformed members of the NSS.

"Mr Osman is being held in a cell at NSS headquarters near the presidential palace. WFP has not received any explanation for this action, which violates international law. International law also bars authorities from entering UN premises without prior UN permission," the statement said. Full report  http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=74822

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