Interview: Somali peace process on right track with development blueprint outlined

www.chinaview.cn 2004-12-30 00:22:16

NAIROBI, Dec. 29 (Xinhuanet) -- The Somali peace process is on theright track and a new government is expected to go back to Somaliaearly next year with an almost ready political program and main tasks clearly laid out, a senior Somali official said.

"The political program for the transitional government is almost ready. It's a program that will go far beyond the next fivetransitional years, prepared by a group of individuals from the parliament, the office of the president and the office of the prime minister," Yusuf Mohammed Ismail, head of the Somali presidential press service, told Xinhua in a recent exclusive interview in Kenyan capital Nairobi.

The program, focusing on security, development and regional political and economic integration, will soon be submitted together with the line-up of the new cabinet to the parliament forapproval, Ismail said.

To ensure security through peaceful dialogues from the grassroots level is of fundamental importance to the stability anddevelopment of the Horn of Africa country, said Ismail.

In order to improve people's living standards, especially theirpurchasing power, Ismail said, the new Somali government will try to facilitate the political and economic integration in the sub-region, focusing on creation of infrastructure connecting Somalia with neighboring countries.

"The first task of the new government, even before we go back to Somalia, is to train our own security forces. This will make the task of demobilization, reintegration and disarmament easier,"said Ismail.

He added that the Somali security forces will be in the middle of the international peace monitors and the Somali people under the guidance of the Somali government.

As to when the new leadership will go back to Somalia, Ismail said he sincerely hopes that will happen by the end of next January or early next February.

"We want to go back without any infighting, and that will only come if we approach the federal capital Mogadishu carefully, avoiding any sort of political confrontation or political misunderstanding. And in this regard, communication in an open anddirect way is vital," said Ismail.

He stressed that it will not help if the media continue to talkabout Mogadishu is too dangerous, saying the new Somali leadershipfaces a challenge to reverse the negative image of the country andto fulfill their duty in a better political environment.

"Politically, there are four major tasks ahead of us. First, sustainable regional development. Second, the creation of federal regional entities. Third, the completion of the federal constitution. Fourth, a national census," Ismail said.

The new Somali government will adopt federalism and every region will elect its own parliament and president, said Ismail, adding that this task will be completed within two and half years.

"Our president will leave behind him a positive legacy of beinga strong leader who fought for so long for the Somali dignity, against a dictatorial regime and against any political extremism. He wants to be remembered as the political leader who stabilized the country and our sub-region, as a former brave military officerwho becomes a wise politician," said Ismail.

On Dec. 23, Ali Mohammed Ghedi was sworn in as Somali prime minister immediately after the transitional federal parliament of Somalia approved his reappointment by President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed.

A new government which includes former warlords, politicians, clan leaders and technocrats is expected to establish the first effective central government since 1991.

All Somalia's major former warlords are involved in the two-year peace process in neighboring Kenya which led to Yusuf's election, raising hopes that Somalia could soon return to normal.

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