SOMALIA: UN-BACKED EVENT SEEKING TO ENLARGE PARLIAMENT KICKS OFF

SOMALIA: UN-BACKED EVENT SEEKING TO ENLARGE PARLIAMENT KICKS OFF
New York, Jan 24 2009 6:10PM
A United Nations-backed gathering seeking to further progress towards expanding the Somali Parliament and elect a new president of the strife-torn Horn of Africa nation kicked off today in neighbouring Djibouti.

"We have no doubt that with your prevailing commitment and will, [the Somali Parliamentary Conference] will be a success as your various constituencies expect," the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) said in its welcome note to participants.

The event is expected to result in the enlargement of Somalia's Parliament and elect a new president in keeping with the Somali Transitional Federal Charter by 28 January.

The new president is to then appoint a prime minister and create a government several days after being sworn in to the position.

Violence has continued in Somalia despite the signing in June 2008 of the UN-facilitated Djibouti Agreement by the Transitional Federal
Government (TFG) and the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia (ARS), in which they agreed to end their conflict.

Last October, both parties agreed on the outline of forming a Government of National Unity and expanding the Parliament, and the principles were endorsed by the Transitional Federal Parliament.

Somalia, which has not had a functioning national government since 1991, has been plagued by fighting and humanitarian suffering for decades. Continuing instability, coupled with drought, high food prices and the collapse of the local currency have only worsened the dire humanitarian situation in recent months.

Jan 24 2009 6:10PM
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