Thursday, October 28, 2010

UN Special Envoy Reaches Mogadishu As Wrangle Overshadows Somali Gov’t

Augustine Mahiga, the United Nations’ Special Envoy for Somalia, on Wednesday landed at Mogadishu International Airport, where he met top leaders of Somalia's transitional federal government (TFG) in a bid to end a dispute between the Somali president and the speaker of Parliament.

Accompanied by members of the African Union and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Mahiga held closed-door meetings with Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, Somalia’s beleaguered president, and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adam following a political scuffle between the men over how the parliament should approve the next prime minister.

Abdi-Rasheed Khaliif Hashi, director of information affairs of Villa Somalia, confirmed the meeting was very crucial and occurred at the Mogadishu airport. He said the envoy told the officials that the “international community was very concerned [about] the postponement of approving Somalia’s new PM.”

Some TFG officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said security was tightened during the envoy's visit against a backdrop of new accounts that terrorist attacks might happen.

Shortly after, the delegation from the UN, AU and IGAD flew out of Somalia with no comment to the press.

Separately, Somalia’s parliament meeting was delayed for the third time in a week, according to lawmakers. Sunday, the president called on the parliament speaker to abide by the law. In response, the speaker issued a statement saying the parliament would meet again Wednesday. However, he indicated that “the vote of confidence must be held in secret rather than display of hands.”

The president is opposed to a secret ballot, charging it is contrary to the constitution.

Source: www.allheadlinenews.com

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