São Paulo – Last Monday (1th), Somalia elected its new president. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was chosen by the majority of representatives and now he will take on the mission of ruling a country a large portion of whose territory is controlled by clans and local factions. The United Nations (UN) has requested the president elect to appoint his prime minister shortly so that a cabinet may be formed. The information was supplied by the UN Radio.
“it would be important for this government to come with a new programme that symbolizes a news phase that is different from the transition into one of transformation and stabilization,” said the United Nations envoy in Somalia, Augustine Mahiga. He also said the election of a president is “very important” to bring about political stability in the country.
One of the main challenges facing the new government will be to re-establish peace and order throughout the country. The former president Sharif Ahmed, whom Mohamud defeated, virtually had control only over the capital Mogadishu. The country went into a civil war in 1991, when the then-president Siad Barre was overthrown.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
