Djibouti's Somalian plan calls for
parliament,
president and PM
NAIROBI, Feb 7 (AFP) - President Ismael Omar Guelleh
of Djibouti has put foward a Somalian peace plan which
calls for creating a transitional assembly that would
then elect a president and a prime minister. The prime
minister would in turn form a cabinet, according to a
draft of the plan seen by AFP Monday in Nairobi.
The process leading to the Somalia National Peace
Conference, which is expected to be held in Djibouti
in April, "shall be led and driven by the Somali civil
society," the document said.
The proposed transitional assembly would meet in May
in Mogadishu to elect a president. This process is
designed to strive for a broad democratic base without
favouring any individuals, groups or regions. One of
the main goals is the "formation of a national
framework of governance supported by regional
administrations".
The peace conference will follow symposiums of the
Somali Civil Society (SCS) and a ministerial meeting
of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development
(IGAD), an east African regional body which has
approved Guelleh's plan.
The document forwarns that the plan will need both
political and financial suport from the international
community. "During the transitional period, which may
last up to two years, there will be real need for an
urgent provision of funds". Guelleh's plan also
includes a proviso for the total disarmament of all
militias in Somalia and new measures to punish clan
chiefs who break the accords.
Djiboutian officials met Monday with representatives
from an IGAD partners forum to discuss implementation
and funding of Guelleh's peace initiative.
The forum includes Egypt, the European Commission,
France, Italy, Norway, the United States, and the
United Nations.
Somalia has lacked a central government since dictator
Mohamed Siad Barre was overthrown in 1991, and has
been torn apart by feuding clans.