I spoke with Reuters about Somalia's new president Sheikh Sharif Ahmed.
The piece, which is titled "New Somali president faces a difficult task," is accessible
here via the
Die Welt website. Here are my four quotes:
"To the extent that any Somali can reunite the country under the existing situation, his choice is a good one. The challenges remain enormous and clan politics will not go away," said David Shinn, a Horn of Africa expert and former U.S. envoy to the region.
...Shinn said al Shabaab had internal rifts -- which Ahmed's aides hope will now widen -- and that many young fighters were opportunists who could be persuaded to switch sides.
..."A broad-based unity government could isolate al-Shabaab," said Shinn. "The question is whether Sheikh Sharif can create a broad based government."
...And Shinn said getting support from wealthy Arab nations may be crucial to the government’s success.
Image: "New Somali president Sheikh Sharif Ahmed faces a difficult task." Source: Die Welt.
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It is true the challengies that the new president faces is enormous, Sheikh Aways ,the leader of ICU base in Asmara said few days ago intervied by the BBC, they elected him to destroy al-Shabab and other resistants in Somalia , but the reistants will destroy him unless he accept what Somali people want.The new President has to accept the reality sooner than later and recognise Somaliland learn how to live peace with its neighbours and respect International borders created by the Colonial Powers like any other country in the world as soon as possible. He needs to negotiate with the Somalis, as Somali proverb said , Gacmo wada jirbay wax ku qabtaan , means , if many hands come together can do a lot, so Sheikh sheriif needs more help from many clans , elders, Somali intectules.There is an other issue there,International Community always talk about the civil war of Somalia but ignore what has created it.This war began in 1982-91 between SNM and former Dictator of Somalia Mohamed Siad barre and spread rest of Somalia,Then Somalilanders regained their independence once again and separate rest Somalia after a failed Union between Somalia and Somaliland in 1960 , the two country have to live peacefuly side by side like Bosnia and Serbia , ukraine and Russia , East timor and indonesia or Ethiopia and Eratrea.There is no room for Islamis, politics driven by clans,old ideaoligy to reliberite Ogaden and NFD Northern Kenya if new President want to succeed.
ReplyDeleteA.Ibrahim
London UK