Updated

Somalia's president over the weekend received the country's first pieces of mail in more than two decades. It's the kind of small but hopeful development that leaders meeting in London on Tuesday hope to see more of.

Britain and Somalia on Tuesday co-host a donors' conference to win support for the Mogadishu government as it leaves behind two decades of conflict.

Though Mogadishu still suffers terror attacks by al-Shabab Islamic extremists, including a car bomb Sunday that killed at least seven people, the capital is more peaceful today than in years past, when deadly battles took place daily.

At the London conference Somalia is set to share its plans to develop the country's security forces, justice sector and financial management systems with the hope that international donors will pledge aid.