Efforts to create new federal state in Somalia condemned

MOGADISHU, Sept. 8 — The international community on Wednesday expressed concern over reported efforts to create a new federal member state in southern Somalia.

Foreign envoys from the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development and the United States said they were closely following developments in HirShabelle state following the announcement by the State Assembly that it had impeached state president Ali Abdullahi Osoble on Aug. 14. The envoys urged all parties to continue the efforts to address this important matter through the established constitutional and legal means and to refrain from any actions that could undermine the consolidation of the state building process. “Unilateral steps that have no legal basis and which are detrimental to the ongoing state formation and stabilization efforts are not helpful and are a cause for concern,” the envoys said in a joint statement issued in Mogadishu.

The foreign envoys expressed concern about the reported attempts to form a separate federal member state in the Hiiraan region, considering the substantial political and material investment made in the state formation process and the ongoing capacity building efforts. “International partners call upon all parties to adhere to the applicable legal framework, the HirShabelle Constitution, and the established parliamentary processes,” the envoys said. They stressed the importance of preserving the political stability that is essential to further progress in the state building process and in deepening federalism in Somalia. Osoble, who came into office in October last year following an election victory, has had differences with the State Assembly in the past few months and a fall-out with his ministers sealed his fate on Aug. 14. – XINHUA