Somali President promises stability demands international forces
Somalia, Politics, 10/11/2004

The elected Somali President, Abdullah Youssef Ahmad, has vowed to exert all efforts to rebuild Somalia, stressing in statements following his elections in Nairobi that he will quit if he fails to bring political stability to his country.

Youssef Ahmad (69 year old) promised the parliamentarians who elected him on Sunday in Nairobi and the international community to work for achieving national reconciliation among the Somalis and to establish peace and security. The new president also vowed to form the interim government commissions according to international criterion as soon as possible and to dismantle the weapons of the militias groups.

He also called for sending an international force to Somalia in order to support the efforts of the interim government to rebuilding. The African Union announced it intends to send this force but has not yet disclosed a detailed program.

However, sources in IGAD said that Youssef will appoint a prime minister after taking his constitutional oath next Thursday.

The former minister of finance Abdullah Ahmad admitted his defeat. He said he supports the efforts of the new interim government, expressing his hope to achieving peace in Somalia.

Abdullah Youssef Ahmad, who is supported by Ethiopia was the president of what is known as the district of "Puntland" to the north east of Somalia.

Youssef Ahmad got 185 votes out of 275 votes who are members of the interim parliament while his rival got 76 votes. This was in the second round after the two candidates failed to win one third of the votes in the first and second rounds in which 27 candidates competed including the former President Abdi Qasem Salad Hassan.

Youssef Ahmad said that he will seek during his interim presidency which lasts for five year to achieve stability with the aim of drawing a new constitution according to which the elections will be held in the Interim period.

He is also described by observers as a declared supporter for Washington in its war against what is called terrorism. The US considers that the Somali areas might constitute a haven for members of al-Qaida organization amid the disorder the country is witnessing.

Previous Stories:
  15 killed in violent clashes in Somalia   (9/18/2004)
  Speaker of the interim parliament in Somalia elected   (9/16/2004)
  Expected fighting after the collapse of the Somali peace talks   (9/7/2004)

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