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Sirte-Libya , June 30, 2009

President Mwai Kibaki inspects a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of the Libyan Armed Forces on arrival at Qardabiya Airport, Sirte, Libya.

President Kibaki arrives for the 13th African Union Assembly in Sirte, Libya

President Mwai Kibaki has arrived in Sirte, Libya this evening to attend the 13th Assembly of African Union Heads of State and Government.

The plane carrying President Kibaki and his entourage touched down at the Qardabiya Airport, Sirte at exactly 4.00pm.

On arrival the President was received by senior officials from Kenya and the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Republic and later proceeded to inspect a guard of honour mounted by a detachment of the Libyan Armed Forces.

The theme of the AU Summit is "Investing in Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security."

The forum seeks to place agriculture in national and regional policy agenda in order to overcome major structural challenges in African agriculture that urgently needs to be addressed if the continent is to achieve its agricultural potential and attain food security for its inhabitants.

During the forum President Kibaki is expected to make a strong appeal to the African Union and the International Community to help resolve the longstanding Somalia conflict and mitigate the current humanitarian catastrophe occasioned by increased hostilities and deteriorating security situation in the Horn of Africa country.

The President is also expected to urge the AU to step up efforts to stop acts of aggression against the legitimate government of Somalia by armed groups opposed to it and save the country from sliding into total anarchy.

Under President Kibaki's leadership, Kenya has played a key role in the Somali peace process leading to major achievements including the signing, in Nairobi, of the Transitional Charter which provided the legal framework for forming the Transitional Federal Parliament and Government of Somalia on 29th January 2004.

The President has also, on several occasions and in different fora, expressed his personal and Kenya's commitment to a lasting solution to the Somali conflict. While receiving the 2003 Annual Gandhi-King award for Non-Violence on 23rd October 2003, President Kibaki pledged Kenya's continued support for the search for peace in Somalia within the framework of IGAD, the African Union and the United Nations.

Addressing the 13th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the IGAD Heads of State and Government in Nairobi on 29th October last year, President Kibaki reaffirmed Kenya's commitment to the realization of a stable and peaceful Somalia.

The Head of State also called on the United Nations to honour its mandate of maintaining international peace and security in Somalia including the urgent deployment of a strong peace-keeping force.

The President also underlined Kenya's support to the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1814 and 1816 that authorizes the use of force against piracy off the Somali coastline. Acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships in the Indian Ocean have a negative effect on the entire maritime transport and threatens the huge economic interests not only in the East African region but Africa as a whole.

The President's entourage comprises Cabinet Ministers Moses Wetangula, Wycliffe Oparanya, William Ruto and senior Government Ministers.