Somalia: Puntland President, ‘’we are ready’’
17 Dec 17, 2011 - 12:12:46 AM
GAROWE, Somalia Dec 17 2011 (Garowe Online) – The Puntland state President Abdirahman Mohamed Farole welcomed the UN delegation and many other officials that arrived in Garowe on Friday, Radio Garowe reports.
The delegation that visited Puntland’s capital Garowe, included Christian Manahl Deputy Special Representative for Somalia, African Union Special Representative for Somalia Ambassador Boubacar Diarra, IGAD Facilitator for the Somali Peace and National Reconciliation Kipruto arap Kirwa and Kenyan Ambassador to Somalia Mohamed Ali.
The delegation met with the President to discuss the postponed meeting and to also weigh preparations that were made by the Puntland Government.
The Puntland President told the officials that he would like the consultative meeting that was supposed to take place on the 15th of December which was postponed twice, not be postponed passed the 20th of December.
The President commented on why the meeting was postponed yet again, “There are some MPs of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) who do not want this consultative meeting in Garowe to take place.”
The meeting which was postponed because of political infighting amongst TFG parliament members; due to a controversial vote last Monday that voted a new Speaker of Parliament and ousted the current one.
The vote was controversial since it broke the Kampala Accord and resulted in a fistfight to break out on Wednesday in Parliament.
Christian Manahl said he would go back to Mogadishu and meet with the President Sharif Sheik Ahmed and Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali and Speaker of Parliament Sharif Hassan to discuss how they can carry on the proposed meeting for the 20th of December.
The TFG has been gripped with political infighting which has lately escalated and also the threat of terrorists who have been engaged in battle with the TFG and AMISOM troops.
GAROWE ONLINE
