Nairobi, Aug 23 - Somalia's new parliament, approved by all the main warlords in the Horn of Africa country, was inaugurated on Sunday in a major step towards ending 13 years of anarchy.
"Today is an historic occasion, an occasion, which I believe will usher in a lot of hope for the people of Somalia," said Kenya's Regional Cooperation Minister John Koech, head of a regional mediation team for Somalia.
"You are going to be peacemakers, you are going to ensure that your country regains its past glory," he told the deputies after they were sworn in at the UN office in Nairobi, capital of neighbouring Kenya, the host of peace talks among Somalia's warring factions.
The ceremony was held in Nairobi instead of Mogadishu for security reasons, and because organisers felt no suitable venue was available in the Somali capital.