UN chief encourages new Somalia PM to form government

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Somalia's new prime minister to form a government without further delay and help resolve the political crisis of the war-torn Horn of Africa country, said a statement issued by his spokesperson here Sunday.

The secretary-general commended the Somali leadership, particularly President Sheikh Sharif, the Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan, and members of the Transitional Federal Parliament on reaching a consensus on procedural arrangements that allowed for the confirmation of the new prime minister through a consultative and transparent process, said the statement.

"The Secretary-General also congratulates Prime Minister Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed on his new appointment and encourages him to form his cabinet without further delay in order to complete the priority tasks of the transitional period," it said.

The statement said the secretary-general deeply appreciated the efforts of his special representative, Augustine Mahiga, in cooperation with the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and with the support of the wider international community, in helping to resolve the political stalemate.

"He hopes that the Transitional Federal Institutions will continue with this spirit of putting the interest of their nation first, for the sake of unity, stability and peace for the Somali people," it said.

Mohamed was named to the position by Somali president two weeks ago, following the resignation in September of Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke.

The country, which has been torn apart by decades of conflict and factional strife, more recently with al-Shabaab Islamic militants, has not had a functioning central government since 1991. It also faces a dire humanitarian crisis in which 3.2 million people, more than 40 per cent of the population, is in need of aid.

Source: Xinhua