The first Horn of Africa Summit meeting was held in Addis Abeba on April 9. The heads of state of Sudan, Kenya, Ethiopia, Djibouti and the leader of the provisional administration of Eritrea attended the meeting.

An agreement was reached to allow emergency food aid to reach millions of victims in numerous conflict ravaged areas. More than 2,000 refugees a day are pouring into Kenya from the fighting in Somalia, Sudan and Southern Ethiopia, stretching that country’s meager resources.

President Meles said the summit had charged him with the task of organizing a peace conference to bring together Somalia’s warring factions. In a news conference, Ato Meles said that the region will cooperate in the search for peace in Somalia.