Somalia Inaugurates New President

One week after the historic selection of a new leader in war-torn Somalia, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud today was inaugurated in the capital of Mogadishu.

Reports say Mohamud won the election against outgoing President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed by the legislative vote of 190 to 79.

The inauguration ceremony was reportedly participated by prominent regional leaders including the PM of Ethiopia and president of Djibouti.

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President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud , the newlyelected leader of Somalia.

Today, the top United Nations envoy in Somalia yesterday hailed the inauguration of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as a “new era” for the war-scarred nation.

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) Augustine P. Mahiga

also UN’s continued support to help Somalia move forward.

“This is another great day for Somalia and the Somali people.” -Mr. Mahiga

He says the inauguration of the new President marks the end of the transitional period and the beginning of a “new era” for a country that has been engulfed with turmoil over several decades.

As the process moves forward, Ms. Mahiga stressed that the UN Political Office for Somalia will continue to stand with the President in addressing instability and insecurity in the contry.

Reports say, the new President has survived a deadly attack on a hotel in Mogadishu, where he was giving a press conference after his election.

Last week, Somalia’s Parliament has elected Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as a new president of the country.

International community considered the selection of a new leader Somalis as a key step toward Somalia’s political transition process.

Reports say Hassan Sheikh Mohamud a political newcomer won the election against outgoing President Sheik Sharif Sheikh Ahmed by the legislative vote of 190 to 79.

In 2011, Mohamud reportedly organized a new political party in Somalia named Peace and Development.

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon hailed the selection of a new president for Somalia.

Mr. Ban said the selection of the new President brings an end to the eight-year political transition.

In addition, Mr. Ban congratulated the New Federal Parliament and its Speaker for the peaceful and orderly conduct of the process.

Mr. Ban reportedly is looking forward to the upcoming high-level meeting on Somalia in the margins of the General Assembly later this month.

In addition, the United States of America also congratulated President Hassan Sheikh and the Somali people on yesterday’s election.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton commended former President Sheikh Sharif for his humility in conceding the election.

She stated that the election of a New Federal Parliament and Speaker, the national constituent assembly’s adoption of a provisional constitution, and the election of a new president, Somalia has completed its political transition.

She thanked the African Union, the United Nations, and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development for their critical contributions.

In August this year, Somalia’s National Constitutional Assembly has approved a Provisional Constitution in historic vote on Wednesday.

Reports say the approval of the new constitution is a key milestone towards ending the country’s current transitional period.

Delegates to the Somalia’s National Constituent Assembly is a 825-member constituent assembly, with delegates representing Somali clans and civil society.

The leaders reportedly debated the constitution for nine days and approved the constitution with 621 for, 13 against and 11 abstained from voting.

The National Constituent Assembly represented the diverse concerns of the nation as it reviewed and ultimately approved the Provisional Constitution.

Despite significant logistical difficulties, political pressure, death threats, and two attacks on the National Constituent Assembly venue, this vote affirms that the Somali people will not be intimidated by violence as they work to rebuild their country, Ms. Clinton highlighted.

Somalia has been in constant wars for past two past decades since the collapse of the Somali state in January 21, 1991. Millions of lives were lost and countless number of people had been internally displaced.

Somalia is the country worst affected by a severe drought that has ravaged large swaths of the Horn of Africa, leaving an estimated 11 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.

Mina Fabulous follows the news, especially what is going on in the US State Department. Mina turns State Department waffle into plain English. Mina Fabulous is the pen name of Carmen Avalino, the NewsBlaze production editor. When she isn’t preparing stories for NewsBlaze writers, she writes stories, but to separate her editing and writing identities, she uses the name given by her family and friends.