Cabinet approves agreement reached by opposing sides in South West Somalia
Mogadishu, June 24, 2014 — The Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia His Excellency Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed chaired an extraordinary session of the Somali Cabinet tonight that led to a unanimous approval of yesterday’s agreement reached by the opposing sides in South West Somalia.
Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed described the agreement reached by the two sides as a progressive one that represents a positive step towards reconciliation in Somalia and the establishment of a federal system.
“The Federal Government of Somalia welcomes the agreement signed yesterday by the opposing sides in South West Somalia. We will continue to encourage and support the agreement. This government is ready to take part in the finalization and implementation of this agreement, which will be a lasting solution to the conflict. The people of the region are brothers and sisters and must come together to establish an inclusive interim administration,” said Prime Minister Ahmed.
The Somali Minister of Youth and Sports Khalid Omar Ali, who spoke to the press after the session, said the Council of Ministers unanimously approved the agreement after a long discussion on the terms of the agreement reached by the two opposing administrations in South West Somalia.
“The Cabinet’s extraordinary session tonight was on the agreement reached yesterday by the opposing administrations in South West Somalia. This agreement is part of the government’s vision to encourage reconciliation among the Somali people. The government will be a big part of the implementation of this agreement and the completion of anything that is missing. The Council of Ministers also said that the government is ready to engage the people who are not happy with yesterday’s agreement. The government will continue to work towards fostering understanding among the people of Somalia,” said the Minister, who also said that this agreement will open the way for improving security and strengthening the security operations against the insurgent group al-Shabaab.
The Federal Government of Somalia, under the leadership of Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed, played a significant role in brokering yesterday’s agreement between the opposing sides in South West Somalia. The terms of the agreement included establishing an interim regional administration and appointing an inclusive committee to facilitate the formation of the regional administration.