With stalemate broken, Ban urges Somalis to focus on completing transition

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has urged the Somali parties to move forward with key transitional tasks, such as completing the new constitution, now that a deal has been reached to overcome the dispute between the country’s legislature and the executive.

In a statement issued last night by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban welcomed the “Kampala Accord” signed on Thursday between President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and the Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden.

The interim federal institutions had been divided over governance issues beyond August, when the transitional period expires in the strife-torn Horn of Africa nation – which has not had a fully functioning national government and has been wracked by factional warfare since 1991.

By the terms of the agreement, facilitated by the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga, the terms of the presidency and the Parliament have been extended by one year, while a new prime minister should be appointed within the next 30 days.

The President and the Speaker agreed to work together during the interim period to implement priority tasks, in accordance with a road map to be agreed with timelines and benchmarks.

Mr. Ban urged the parties to swiftly implement the deal, which will “enable the Transitional Federal Institutions to work constructively in the interest of the Somali people.”

“He also calls on the Somali parties to act resolutely to complete the outstanding transitional tasks, including the promotion of national reconciliation, constitution-making and the associated public consultation, and rebuilding the security sector,” the statement added.