UN chief hails new political agreement (Garowe II) by key Somali leaders

[General Duke]

Sunday, February 19, 2012

 

UNITED NATIONS (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban ki- moon on Sunday hailed a political agreement reached on Friday by key Somali leaders as the joint effort"sets out clear steps for ending the transition and putting in place a constitutional orderin a new federal Somalia."

A statement, issued here by Ban's spokesman, said, "The secretary-generalcongratulates the broad spectrum of Somali stakeholders who reached a crucialpolitical agreement on 17 February 2012 at the Garowe II Constitutional Conferenceheld in Garowe, 'Puntland'."

 

"This agreement sets out clear steps for ending the transition and putting in place aconstitutional order in a new federal Somalia," the statement said.

 

The agreement provides for a new, smaller parliament and an upper house of elders inorder to end the Horn of Africa country's two-decade political crisis. The deal came at ameeting in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

 

"The secretary-general applauds the spirit of unity and commitment demonstrated bythe Roadmap signatories as well as representatives from the areas recently recoveredfrom Al-Shabaab who participated in the Garowe II Conference," the statement said. "He particularly welcomes the inclusion of a minimum of 30 percent women in theIndependent Electoral Commission, the Constituent Assembly and the new FederalParliament."

 

Al-Shabab militants control large areas of central and south Somalia, and the self-declared independent state of Somaliland.

 

Source: Xinhua