Sudan, Somalia critical for region's growth, says KenyaBy RAY NALUYAGA in Nairobi | Wednesday, May 23  2012 at  15:12

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki has warned that stability in Somalia and the Sudans is critical to the region's continued economic growth.

Mr Kibaki said Kenyan forces at the East African Standby Brigade would support training in order to pre-empt further conflicts.

"We will also be involved in regional security initiatives that facilitate peace and stability in our country and region," he said at a passing out ceremony for new cadets.

The Kenyan army has been fighting Al-Shabaab fundamentalists in Somalia since October. The east African country's troops were this year re-hatted into the AU's peacekeeping force.

President Kibaki said that the efforts of the AU Mission in Somalia (Amisom) and the country's transitional federal government had led to the restoration of peace in large parts of the troubled Horn of Africa country.

He called for a major reconstruction effort in Somalia.

"Those returning to their country after nearly 20 years in refugee camps will be part of that reconstruction process that Kenya stands to fully support," said Mr Kibaki, while appealing to Somalis to strengthen the peace effort.

Somalia has been without a central government since the collapse of Siad Barre's regime in 1991.