Somalia Politics Somali leaders sign cooperation agreementafrol News, 27 August - Somalia interim government top leaders have signed an agreement of cooperation in Addis Ababa to resolve an ongoing division between the two executive leaders.Relations between president Abdullahi Yusuf and premier Hussein Nur Adde were soured when Mr yusuf revoked prime minister's decision to fire Mogadishu mayor Mohamed Dheere for allegedly fuelling insecurity in the city.
"We are very much happy that we have solved our differences. We now have the same view on the responsibilities we have to fulfill," Mr Hussein said.
The rift between two leaders has threatened to derail Djibouti ceasefire agreement signed with the opposition in June.
President Yusuf said agreement includes, among others, transitional federal charter, the form of finance and administrative institutions as well secure sectors of Somalia, further expressing his hope that an agreement would be an ideal instrument to create peace and stability in Somalia.
Mr Yusuf further called upon international community to extend their support in deployment of international stabilisation forces in Somali.
"We hope the agreement will end the differences between Somali leaders," Ethiopia's Foreign Minister Seyoum Mesfin said after the pair signed the deal in Addis Ababa.
"Ten days ago, the very existence of Transitional Federal Government was at a critical point. The differences were a deciding factor that makes or breaks the transitional period, including the peace agreement in Djibouti," Minister said.
The deal reached in Addis Ababa came as more than 90 anti-Hussein members of parliament resented a motion seeking to remove Mr Hussein for allegedly embezzling government funds and also for failing to curb violence in Mogadishu.
"I can say that we are confident that the cabinet will not be defeated by the motion," Mr Hussein said.
Since it was created in 2004, Somalia's internationally-backed transitional federal government has been plagued by internecine squabbling. It has also been wrecked by a deadly guerrilla conflict since Ethiopian forces backed government troops in late 2006 to oust an Islamist movement. By staff writer © afrol News |