Despite setbacks, 'the government has continuously reiterated its readiness to broaden its base by including those opposition groups that renounce violence', the secretary-general said.

Ban has appealed to the international community not to back down on its support for Somalia in the face of the recent increase in violence in Somalia. He urged the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU) to encourage the opposition groups to work toward peace.

'For the government to increase its legitimacy and to broaden its base, we must invest in building the capacity of the security institutions and improve its capability to deliver public services and employment opportunities,' the secretary-general said in the report.

According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 200,000 people have fled the capital Mogadishu since early May, after the fighting between the government soldiers and Islamist militants intensified. In the past fortnight alone, about 20,000 people have fled Mogadishu.