A Chance for Stability in Somalia?
01.01.2010
In December 2008 President of Somalia Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed quit after a power-struggle with his prime minister about the reconciliation talks and Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, a former schoolteacher and moderate leader of the Islamic courts, led his group into negotiations with the government.
A month later, in February 2010, Mr Ahmed and 150 of his fellow ARS members joined the Somali parliament and he was elected to succeed President Yusuf. He is widely considered to be the country's best chance for stability in years.
Somalia (1) -- Analyses -- 2010
More about the stability
01.01.2010
Somalia has not had an effective central government since 1991, when the former government was toppled by clan militias that later turned on each other. For decades, generals, warlords and warrior types have reduced this once languid coastal country in Eastern Africa to rubble. Somalia remains a raging battle zone today, with jihadists pouring in from overseas, intent on toppling the transitional government.
For the first time in decades -- including 21 years of dictatorship and the 18 years of chaos that followed -- Somalia's new leader has both widespread grass-roots support inside the country and extensive help from outside nations, according to analysts and many Somalis. Much of the world is counting on Sheik Sharif to tackle piracy and beat back the spread of militant Islam, two Somali problems that have flared into major geopolitical ones.
He says he wants to make peace with Ethiopia, recruit Islamist militia fighters into a national security force and rebuild the country's social services.
President Ahmed - who speaks English as well as Arabic and Somali - says he is prepared to discuss any political or religious issues with insurgents still fighting in Somalia.
Analysts say the polyglot will need all his skill with words to deal with the likes of the radical Islamist al-Shabab militiamen, who control swathes of central and southern Somalia.
Bulgarian