A senior United Nations official has welcomed the announcement of the new Somali cabinet, and the fact that the new Government will return to Mogadishu this weekend to begin the vital work of restoring peace, stability and development to the strife-torn nation.
The Secretary-General's Special Representative, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, said the cabinet announced by Prime Minister Omar Sharmarke is "a healthy combination of experience and youth."
He welcomed the fact that the Prime Minister chose a Government of National Unity as outlined in the 2008 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.
"It is encouraging to see members of the original Transitional Federal Government alongside some fresh faces from what was the Alliance for the Re-Liberation of Somalia," Mr. Ould-Abdallah said in a news release.
There have been several encouraging developments over the past month for Somalia, which has not had a functioning central government since 1991. These include the election of the country's new President, Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, in what the UN has hailed as "a fair and open manner" and the creation of an enlarged Parliament.
The new Government is expected to return this weekend to Mogadishu, where security on the ground has "improved," according to Mr. Ould-Abdallah.
At the same time, he noted that despite some progress, "Somalia remains an extremely dangerous place for many Somalis, particularly humanitarian workers and journalists.
"I call on elders and religious leaders in the communities to use their influence to stop the violence. Everyone needs to work together to create a stable environment - one where children have an education and the young people employment.
"Security and development are closely linked and we need the help of both Somalis and the international community to ensure there is major progress in this area," said the envoy.
In addition, Mr. Ould-Abdallah welcomed the news that the two Italian nuns abducted in November 2008 have been released, and repeated his call for all remaining hostages in the country to be released immediately.
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I wish I could share the optimism portrayed by the UN envoy but I have to admit I have the feeling that this TFG which is the 15th of its sort will have a quick death. All of the 14 TFG were created by the international comunity in their own shap in a foreign land and then blessed them all ; so I failed to understand why this one will be different from its predecessors. This TFG will join the groupe much quicker because it was hastly assembled and is headed by a president who is regared by the active Islamists as a traitor who sold their blood to the hated Americans. The Islamists are the only force who controlls much of the south and central regions and who maintain at the same time a strong presence in the capital as well. Somalia is heading towards an uncharted area in its political life - islamic principles VS tribalism. Unfortunately our new president is banking on using clanism, which is becoming obsolet, as a weapon of choice while the islamists are the first indiganous groupe that transcended the tribalism. Sharif's government is founded on 4.5(tribal formula)which will back fire to him as soon as the dust settles because their is no way he can satisfy the insane tribalism. The other important issue is the question of peace keeping forces. There is no more room in Somalia for the so called peace keeping forces as they earned bad reputation in the eyes of the Somalis. The last continguen of Ugandan forces were given 120 days to leave the country by the elders of mogadisho not the government - that shows who is in controll.The new president can't talk about the issue of foreign forces because they will become legitimate targets for the rebells and supporters alike. The ethiopian and Ugandan army were put on the ground to prop up the TFG so they were it's milatery police not peace keepers. Any tribe or body who can't find his intrest will automatically switch sides and take a merciless revenge on him. I am very much afraid of what is about to come out of this mess but the stage is set for disaster