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Interview: UN urges Somalia to put in place all-inclusive cabinet

Xinhua, January 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

The UN senior envoy for Somalia on Tuesday urged Somalia's President and Prime Minister to put in place an all-inclusive cabinet that will return the Horn of Africa nation to normalcy.

UN Envoy to Somalia Nicholas Kay told Xinhua in Nairobi that it is very unfortunate that the Horn of Africa nation's leaders have not yet been able to agree on a list of cabinet ministers that will be acceptable to Parliament.

"The international community's desire is for the process to be concluded quickly, as any delay is not desirable," Kay said.

He said the key political challenge is on all political factions to agree on a new constitution as well as the methodology of the preparations for elections.

Earlier this month, Somali parliament rejected a list of cabinet nominees by the Prime Minister. Kay said that the Somalia requires a cabinet that can provide a stable government until elections are held next year.

"Somalis have decided that they are fed up after 23 years of conflict and want to build a new state where power and resources are shared between central and regional governments," he said. "So the next few months will be crucial if Somalia is to achieve the targets that have been set by its citizens."

The UN envoy also called on the international community to increase funding for humanitarian programs in order to avert a famine this year.

"Somalia is one of the poorest countries in the world and currently over one million people still need food assistance each day," Kay said. "We hope more and more of Somalia friends will come to its assistance in 2015."

Kay said the UN helped to vaccinate three million children in Somalia against polio and measles in 2014. In addition, 24 million livestock were also vaccinated through UN's Food and Agriculture Organization. And about 40,000 children were also assisted to go to school for first time.

Last month, the UN, Kenya and Somalia started a program for the voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees based in Kenya. "So far, 1,000 have crossed into Somalia," said the UN official.

He noted that one of the big landmarks last year occurred when China appointed an ambassador to Somalia and reopened its embassy in Mogadishu.

Kay said China has been helping to boost Somalia's maritime security so that piracy doesn't affect shipping activities off the coast of Somalia. The envoy added that the Asian nation has a great deal to offer including its expertise in developing major infrastructure project.

"It would therefore be valuable if China builds on its presence on ground to do more development cooperation with Somalia," he said.

Kay also noted that as the Horn of Africa nation gets better governed, the space within which Al-Shabaab operates will get smaller. He urged the government to create economic opportunities for the youth so that they have access to jobs. Endi