US-backed Regime in Somalia Appoints Prime Minister

US-backed regime in Somalia appoints Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon to head the government. Somalia has been focal point for Pentagon and CIA intervention for many years., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

From Garoweonline.com

Somalia: Federal Parliament approves Prime Minister Shirdon

Oct 17, 2012 - 8:31:37 PM

MOGADISHU (Garowe Online) - Somalia's Federal Parliament approved Abdi Farah Shirdon (Saaid) as Prime Minister of Somalia on Wednesday, Garowe Online reports.

Prime Minister Shirdon's long awaited visit to the Federal Parliament house in Mogadishu on Wednesday was a ratification meeting in which parliament overwhelmingly voted to approve Shirdon as the war-torn country's new Prime Minister.

According to reports, Parliament voted 215 out 275 on Wednesday in favor of Prime Minister Shirdon.

Giving a speech after the vote, Prime Minister Shirdon stated that he would select a capable Cabinet that focuses on building the future of the next generation.

"The Cabinet that I will select will focus their efforts on building a future for the next generation so they can receive a solid education. My Cabinet will also work to enhance security and improve Somalia's economy," said Prime Minister Shirdon.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was in attendance at Prime Minister Shirdon's parliament vote of confidence, requested that the parliament support and cooperate with the new Prime Minister.

"I chose him as my PM as I believe that he is adept and capable of reviving Somalia and a person that I could work closely with," said President Hassan.

Prime Minister Shirdon has not announced his Cabinet as of yet and did not specify a date for appointing his new Cabinet.

Somalia's new leaders, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon, face tremendous challenges in improving security particularly in Mogadishu and other regions in south-central Somalia, reviving the economic, relations with other Somali stakeholders like Puntland and Somaliland, and rebuilding the country's public institutions and national infrastructure.

But analysts say Somali leaders in Mogadishu have been crippled by chronic corruption and infighting among political leaders since the Transitional Federal Government was formed in neighboring Kenya in 2004, thereby making the previous interim governments notorious for corruption, political infighting and lack of progress.

GAROWE ONLINE
http://www.garoweonline.com