EU envoys urge Somali leaders to bury differences for development

Two EU envoys to Somalia on Monday called on Somali leaders to end their political differences for the sake of development of the Horn of Africa nation.
In a joint statement issued in Nairobi, the EU Special Representative Alexander Rondos and EU Ambassador to Somalia Michele Cervone D’Urso warned that the political feud between the president and prime minister has already spilled over to federal institutions and may cripple development.
“We call upon both leaders to find a solution to their differences now, in a spirit of pragmatism and for the good of all Somali citizens,” the statement said.
The envoys said the differences between the two leaders are already having an impact on the functioning of the institutions and “Somalia’s State and peace building goals”.
The statement comes after Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed on Oct. 25 reportedly announced his decision to reshuffle the cabinet without consulting the president.
However, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud later opposed the changes and slammed Ahmed for “making outrageous decisions” and declaring the reshuffle “null and void”. He also urged the affected ministers to carry on with their duties.
Ahmed’s re-organisation swapped the positions of the minister of livestock and animal husbandry and the minister of justice and constitutional affairs and also impacted two state ministers and four deputy ministers.
Regional analysts have raised concern over the power struggle between the two leaders and warned that it might negatively affect the work of the federal government.
The two EU envoys said the political leadership of Somalia must now rise to its responsibilities and demonstrate that peaceful politics can allow for cohabitation.
“We call on the President and Prime Minister to heed the advice of those who can offer pragmatic solutions, commit to work together and focus immediately on the nation’s core priorities until 2016,” the envoys said.
Although Somalia has long been torn by factional fighting and the spread of militant religious fanaticism in the guise of Al- Shabaab, recent military gains against the terrorist group have permitted the government to pursue a peace and State building agenda.
The pacification of the Horn of Africa nation has also allowed the government to strengthen the country’s security sector, promote respect for human rights and women’s empowerment and assist in the coordination of international assistance.
According to the envoys, Somalia has only 22 months until the 2016 elections and called on the regions of the country to establish representative interim administrations.

Xinhua

Posted by admin on Nov 16 2014. Filed under African News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry