Italy shores up support for Somali PM to remain in office another year
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Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs Alfredo Mantica speaks of situational in the Horn of Africa country, ravaged by 22 years of civil war and clashes between clans, following the decision of the president and the speaker of Parliament to force the resignation of the Prime Minister of the transitional government, which instead is supported by thousands of people took to the streets in recent days in his own defense Daniele Mastrogiacomo.
ROME – We met the Undersecretary for Foreign Minister to whom we asked to paint a picture of the situation in Somalia, where they continue protests against a decision of the President Sheik Sharif Ahmed Shieck, former leader of Islamic Courts and the speaker of Parliament, Sharif Hassan, a year to move the date of the elections and to force the resignation within days, the current prime minister of the transitional government, Abdullahi Mohamed Mohamed.
Senator Alfredo Mantica, what happens in Somalia?
“There seems to be a strong protest in Mogadishu. We do not know how extensive, whether popular or exploited by others. But we know that has its foundation.”
According to our information is a protest to defend the prime minister, perhaps the first head of government who has obtained important results in twenty years.
“Last week an agreement was signed in Kampala, Uganda, with which it is one year extension of the parliamentary elections in Somalia. They were scheduled for next August 21. President Sheik Ahmed and the speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan wanted to extend three years the mandate of the transitional government. The international community, headed by the U.S. and the UN were against it. The President of Uganda has mediated and it was decided to extend for one year only. ”
But with the obligation of the prime minister to resign within 30 days. As president and speaker of Parliament remain in office. It seems a stretch, does not believe Undersecretary Mantica?
“The Somali situation is complex and difficult. I’ll take care of at least ten years and are on the verge of nervous. The balance between clans are always precarious, and without this balance is difficult to reconstruct a semblance of civil society, it is complicated to operate institutions, legislation, try to slowly return to normal. Now we are faced with a conflict between the President, former leader of the Islamic Courts and therefore more orthodox religious values ??and the speaker of Parliament more secular. Say expression of Ethiopia.
Excuse me, but the agreement provides for the forced resignation of Prime Minister and the simultaneous confirmation of the president and the speaker of Parliament. Both want to invalidate the head of government. This is why thousands of Somalis took to the streets. It had never happened.
“The prime minister has been in office five months. And ‘early to judge his work. But what he has done so far has been very positive. It has achieved important results. The government already seemed a miracle.” Why send him home, then.
“The strength of the instability in Somalia is a constant. And the prime minister represents stability.”
But then it seems absurd not to support the agreement in Kampala, which means, in effect, endorsing what she calls “the force of instability”?
“The international community, including Italy, is tired of the disputes that divide Somalia.
Amisom troops for five years, Ugandans and Burundians, are there to fight against the Shaabab. But we’re still in a political stalemate.”
Italy has decided to open an embassy in Mogadishu. There seems to be a gesture that leads to a semblance of normality. “It ‘s a decision we made with Britain and the United Nations. All three will open a representative office in the airport area, under the control of forces AMISOM.
Then comes the Parliament extended its term for three. Does Italy support this decision or not?
“We were opposed to an extension of the transitional government for three years. We can not continue indefinitely. We welcome the postponement of an election for a year.”
Should the government remain in office along with its Prime Minister?
“Yes, we believe that the accord should be discussed in the Parliament. The President, the Speaker of the Parliament and the Prime minister should remain in office for one more year.
Leave Somalia prey to radical Islamists, al Qaeda and pirates seems very destabilizing, not only for the region but for the same land and sea trade. What can be done to resolve a crisis that has lasted 22 years?
“Three things. First, create a stability. Secondly, to advance good governance and manage the vital infrastructure of the country. You can not win the consent of the population, where the port, for example, is full of poor and rates are higher than elsewhere. Third, insist on dialogue between the different clans on the basis of the Djibouti agreement. The forces in the country must be fairly represented. ”
Are these forces include the Shaabab?
“We know all or much of the Taliban, but we know nothing of the Shaabab. There are two souls within them: one that has an agenda and the Somali national who has radical Islamic agenda. With the first is a dialogue. Somalia has never been a fundamentalist country, then there is a clear refusal to Salafi Islam. The people have shown many times and this Shaabab to know. Today there are difficulties. ”
What is Italy doing in Somalia?
“We are following the path traced by the British in Somaliland. We support and are present in Puntland, the old Migiurtina. We believe that to leave the swamp must create the conditions for the emergence of a federation of Somalia. In Puntland this is possible because c ‘ is a stable form of government, there are institutions. ”
Is it true that the pirates are also in Puntland.
‘It is true. But there are conditions to normalize the situation. “And the others, Mogadishu and the rest of the country?
“We will adapt, will agree. Choose whether to stay in the swamp or rise again. They have a year’s time:
government, parliament and the president remain in office.”
This is the link for the attached article published in la repubblica Italian news paper.
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