Ethiopia keen to see strong government in Somalia: Speaker

Addis Ababa, April 5, 2010 - Speaker of the House of Peoples’ Representatives (HPR), Ambassador Teshome Toga expressed Ethiopia’s determination in supporting Somalia toward establishing strong government that that country.Holding discussions with his Somalia counterpart, Sheik Aden Mohamed Nur here on Monday, Ambassador Teshome said Ethiopia will continue assisting Somalia in creating strong federal government capable of crushing terrorists and anti-peace forces.
Ambassador Teshome said Ethiopia has remained vulnerable to terrorism and terrorist acts due to absence of strong central government in the neighboring Somalia.
The existing terrorism and ever-flourishing piracy in Somalia impede efforts geared toward ensuring dependable peace and stability both in Somalia and Ethiopia. Hence, he said, Ethiopia is keen to see a strong government in Somalia.
Ethiopia, in collaboration with the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the peace-loving international community, will scale up efforts toward ensuring lasting peace and stability in Somalia, according to Ambassador Teshome.
Ambassador Teshome stressed that the parliaments of the two neighboring countries shall work together toward creating closer people-to-people relations between the peoples of the two nations.
Sheik Aden Mohamed Nur said on his part Ethiopia has remained friendly to the peoples of Somalia in this trying and historic time of Somalia. He also commends the Ethiopian government for its pioneer and continued support to the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia.
However, some anti-peace forces have been negatively portraying Ethiopia’s assistance to the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, he said, adding this is not the stand of the people of Somalia.
Withdrawal of Ethiopia’s defense force from Somalia has created favorable conditions to terrorists to flourish in that country, he said. Hence, the parliaments of the two sisterly countries shall synchronize efforts in the fight against these anti-peace elements.
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