EU and UN hope to draft aid plan for Somalia

Brussels: The European Union said it hopes an international conference on Somalia next week will deliver tangible support to the country's embattled government.

The meeting is being organised by the EU and the United Nations, whose Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will attend.

Somali government leaders, the head of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, and the Arab League's Secretary-General Amr Moussa will also participate.

EU spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said African Union peacekeeping commanders and the EU anti-piracy flotilla will also take part in the meeting.