Posted 31 March 2010 by David Miliband  |  1 comments

In Somalia there are signs that opinion is building against the extremist group Al-Shabaab, who threaten attempts to restore stability. A recent conference of major Islamic scholars in Dubai, including the Egyptian televangelist Amr Khaled and the Saudi-based Sheikh Abdullah bin Bayyah, issued a declaration condemning Al Shabaab's interpretation of Islam. The declaration  denies that fighting the transitional government in Somalia can be justified as a legitimate jihad, examines the constructive role Islam can play in resolving the country’s 20-year long civil war, and calls for all Somalis to support President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.  

Separately, citizens in Mogadishu – fed up with Al Shabaab’s brutality and cultural intolerance - marched on Monday to protest against the desecration of the graves of revered Sufi saints.

I don't underestimate the difficulties or the complexities, but the growth of opposition to extremism in Somalia is encouraging.  Al Shabaab’s interpretation of Islam is alien to Somalis who traditionally practise a moderate Sufi-led form of the religion.  This intervention from internationally renowned Islamic scholars supports isolation of the extremists, who work to their own agenda, and against the interests and traditions of Somalia and its people.

David Miliband

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Posted 09 April 2009 by David Miliband  |  7 comments

5pm in Riyadh seems to be cooling off time. A local man who saw us drinking (cardamom) coffee next to Musmak Fort - when Abdul Aziz seized power in 1902 - wanted to explain that in his life he had seen the transformation of Riyadh from agriculture to metropolis. (Harold St John Philby, father of Kim Philby, advisor to King Abdul Aziz, also lived round the corner).

The Two Kingdoms dialogue where I spoke this morning brought out the drive of Saudi youth, and a willingness to engage with British peers. The recession has not hit yet, and the emphasis on regional stability and balance of power is strong at all levels of society. Saudi Arabia holds a pivotal place in the Middle East, not least as the location of The Two Holy Mosques of Mecca and Medina, and for the determination of HM King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz to argue for the Arab Peace Initiative and inter-faith understanding. Not much will happen without its engagement; that is why I am here.



David Miliband

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Posted 09 October 2008 by David Miliband  |  8 comments

I was in Brussels yesterday for talks in the European Parliament and European Commission.  Everyone is trying to come to terms with the financial crisis, and anticipate (and if possible mitigate) its impact on the wider economy. In that context the Stability Plan announced by the Prime Minister and Chancellor has drawn widespread admiration as the most systematic - and system wide - programme on the table.  Addressing the three interlinked problems of liquidity, solvency and confidence through three major initiatives the plan builds on the coordinated principles agreed by European finance ministers in Luxembourg on Tuesday.  As such it is a strong basis for complementary action by other European governments.

David Miliband

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