A/HRC/18/2 withdrawal of Al-Shabaab. Sustained bilateral cooperation and the deployment of military engineering corps would be crucial to better deliver much-needed basic social services, in particular the drilling of water boreholes, the opening of humanitarian corridors, expanding and maintaining humanitarian spaces, and training and equipping the new Somali civil and environmental protection units at the national and subnational levels. 304. The Government appealed to friendly countries for support and assistance, at the national and subnational levels, to better coordinate the significant bilateral humanitarian aid and assistance currently received in Somalia. Better coordination of aid efforts would ensure that the assistance reached the most vulnerable and needy throughout Somalia, and also help to protect humanitarian and aid workers. The recent road map provided a unique framework and benchmarks for coordinating bilateral cooperation in aid, rehabilitation and development, at the national and subnational levels, to assist Somalia in its transition. 305. The Government of Somalia paid the utmost attention to and had respect for each and every recommendation, and was pleased to accept, or accept in part, all of the 155 recommendations received. In the report of the Working Group (A/HRC/18/6/Add.1), Somalia had also identified and explained the areas where it urgently requested bilateral assistance and capacity-building in order to be able to implement these recommendations. 306. Somalia took its participation in the universal periodic review exercise as an important opportunity to reflect on and take stock of its situation of human rights, and anticipated the progress that it hoped it would be able to show in four years’ time. Both the national report presented in May and the report of the Working Group were entirely Somali-developed and owned. The adoption of Somalia’s universal periodic review report marked the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new one. 2. Views expressed by Member and observer States of the Human Rights Council on the review outcome 307. Algeria commended Somalia for having accepted all the recommendations it had received. In consultation with Somalia, the international community should try to find lasting solutions to the humanitarian crisis. The limited assistance to combat famine would not be sufficient unless donors helped the country to increase its institutional capacity for managing the crisis. 308. Cuba referred to a number of challenges that Somalia faced, including internal conflict, the lack of food and the recent droughts, and the lack of adequate health infrastructures. It noted that all those problems would have a negative impact on the implementation of the recommendations made during the universal periodic review. International cooperation was therefore necessary to help Somalia to address its challenges and to meet its call for international assistance. 309. The United States of America welcomed Somalia’s acceptance of all the recommendations made and urged the delegation to provide additional information on the recommendations partially accepted. Long-term peace and stability in Somalia lay in the establishment of effective governance based on a process of inclusive political dialogue and reconciliation. It welcomed the recommendations on violations of human rights in the conduct of war and the Government’s commitment to them. It also underlined the recommendations focused on the use of children in armed conflict and looked forward to receiving an update from Somalia during the second cycle. 310. Saudi Arabia commended Somalia for its pledge to protect and promote human rights, which was demonstrated by, inter alia, the cooperation of Somalia with all human rights mechanisms. It noted that, despite the existing challenges, Somalia made efforts to guarantee fundamental rights, including the right to food. Saudi Arabia appreciated the 124 GE.12-17756