On Saturday, Somalia's parliament endorsed the appointment of Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke as prime minister of a new unity government. I spoke to Reuters about this new development. Here's an excerpt from the article that includes my analysis:
"I am more optimistic about the future of Somalia than I have been in a number of years," Professor David Shinn, an Africa expert at George Washington University, told Reuters.
"The selection of a PM from the large Darod clan is a wise choice to balance President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's Hawiye clan connection," he said, adding that Sharmarke's distinguished family and diaspora connections would also be advantages.
UPDATE: Al Jazeera English also ran a story based on the the Reuters piece.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Weighing in on endorsement of Somalia's new prime minister
On Saturday, Somalia's parliament endorsed the appointment of Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke as prime minister of a new unity government. I spoke to Reuters about this new development. Here's an excerpt from the article that includes my analysis:
"I am more optimistic about the future of Somalia than I have been in a number of years," Professor David Shinn, an Africa expert at George Washington University, told Reuters.
"The selection of a PM from the large Darod clan is a wise choice to balance President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed's Hawiye clan connection," he said, adding that Sharmarke's distinguished family and diaspora connections would also be advantages.
UPDATE: Al Jazeera English also ran a story based on the the Reuters piece.
