International: New president for Somalia

New Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo. (AP Photo/Farah Abdi Warsameh)

Somalia‘s new President , Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed , is sworn in. He fears it may take decades to bring order to the war-ravaged, corrupt and drought-stricken country.

Mohamed was elected earlier this month as part of efforts to form a fully functioning government in the wake of 25 years of war and conflict.

The President promises to restore Somalia’s dignity. Meanwhile, he stresses that the country still faces many challenges, and that there are limits to what he can achieve with the available resources.

– In the last 26 years there has been conflict and drought, it will therefore take another 20 years to rectify the situation, he stated as he was sworn in.

Amongst the primary challenges is the Islamist insurgent group al-Shabaab’s control of parts of the country, and their attacks inside the capital.

Mohamed also need to fight the rampant corruption and to ensure not only that the military gets the equipment and weapons they need, but even that the soldiers receive their wages.

Aditionionally there is an imminent treat of another famine caused by drought and conflict. More than 300,000 children are already malnourished, and several million Somalis are as ever dependants of food aid from abroad.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today