Accra, Aug. 7, GNA - Ghana's former President and African Union (AU) High Representative for Somalia, Flight-Lieutenant Jerry John Rawlings, has called on the international community to urgently come to the aid of Somali= a to help alleviate the agony of famine.

He said a medium to long-term programme had to be put in place to prevent the reoccurrence of the devastating famine in the country (also known as the Horn of Africa Region.) The former President was speaking at separate meetings with the South African High Commissioner on Wednesday and the Cuban and Japanese ambassadors at his office in Accra on Friday.

He repeated his call for the examination and finding of a political solution to the Somalia conflict, and asked all factions involved in it to open corridors to allow for the transportation of relief items to affected persons in the famine areas.

Former President Rawlings, who is also the AU Ambassador on the Horn o= f Africa Humanitarian crises, said the debilitating effect of the famine on human life, particularly women and children was frightening. He requested for assistance for the construction of wells as well as educational facilities for the re-establishment of schools as a lack of proper education has contributed to the easy drafting of children and young adults by some of the factions into the Somali conflict. Former President Rawlings called for a strong African response to the humanitarian crises to encourage others to also contribute to finding solution to the problem.

He said the AU force in Somalia was poorly equipped and needed equipment such as speedboats and helicopters to allow for easy reconnaissance.

Former President Rawlings said the scourge of piracy in the Region could only to stopped, if the root causes of the conflict were identified and a peaceful solution found to it.

He said: 93Uganda and Burundi soldiers are doing a good job in an ill-equipped situation and in a difficult and dangerous environment. Arms are brought in from the sea but they are unable to prevent that due to the lack of patrol boats.

"I believe we should create room for a political solution to the crises. The famine is most unfortunate but we can use it as an opportunity to mould a peace solution from all sides. The transitional government canno= t be in place indefinitely. We need peace so there can be a national election and a national government".

The former President said the AU has planned a pledging conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on August 25 this year where African governments, th= e international community, aid agencies and corporate institutions will be invited to participate and pledge their support to alleviate the famine in Somalia.

At the meeting with the new Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Naoto Nikai, the former President praised the people of Japan for their resilience in th= e light of the recent earthquake and tsunami in the Fukushima Prefecture. Former President Rawlings said the disaster 93was a very painful experience" and he was glad the worst appeared to be over and recovery underway and the Japanese have known adversities in the past and have becom= e stronger and resolute.

He said: 93We cannot pretend we do not see what is happening. I hope it will serve as a lesson for all of us. We need to make the world a safer and better place for humanity.

"I think what has happened should make the world re-examine nuclear technology and how best not to endanger the world. I know Japan will do so and I hope others will follow with pre-emptive measures." Ambassador Nikai said a lot of work had gone into recovery since the devastating earthquake and some rail services in the affected areas had resumed. On the humanitarian situation in Somalia, the Ambassador confirmed tha= t Japan had voted 5 million dollars for the relief effort through the World Food Programme.

The outgoing Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, Dr Miguel Perez Cruz, thanked Former President Rawlings for his support during his five-year tenure in Ghana and outlined the success of a new malaria eradication programme in Ghana, instituted by the Cuban government to eradicate malaria through the elimination of mosquito larvae.

Ambassador Cruz said there were 22 Cuban specialists in Ghana supporting their Ghanaian counterparts to implement the project, which involves the spraying of mosquito larvae with a naturally produced chemical that kills larvae thus preventing them from developing into mosquitoes and the former President praised Cuba for the initiative. Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, former first lady, who was also at the meeting, said tackling malaria from the root cause was very welcome as a lo= t of malaria drugs on the market were substandard and did not effectively cur= e the disease. Speaking to the South African High Commissioner, Madam Ndlovu, on Wednesday, President Rawlings called for an African response to the famine in the Horn of Africa Region. Ambassador Ndlovu said it was encouraging that Africa was rising to th= e challenge.