Somalia's parliament endorses new cabinet

Somali Parliament on Wednesday approved a new cabinet appointed by Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khaire a week ago.

Lower House Deputy Speaker Abdiweli Ibrahim Mudey announced that 224 lawmakers voted in favor of the cabinet, 15 rejected the list and two abstained.

The move ended anxiety that many analysts say could have crippled the operations of the new government formed after successful in-direct presidential elections in February.

Speaker of the Lower House Mohamed Osman Jawari lauded the lawmakers for endorsing the ministers.

"Parliament did their constitutional duties and we urge the executive branch to work hard as the country is in very bad situation," Jawari said.

Somali prime minister who also thanked lawmakers for the approval of the new ministers vowed to move swiftly to fix challenges facing Somalia.

"My government will do more on the security, drought, fighting with Al-Shabaab militants, corruption, investment and economic growth," Khaire said.

He promised to convene his first cabinet meeting on Thursday and to focus on the security and the drought situation in the country.

The PM last week named his first cabinet that saw reinstating of certain ministers from his predecessor's cabinet. Khaire named lawyer Mahdi Ahmed Guled from Somaliland as his deputy.

The cabinet included more than 15 federal lawmakers who were nominated as ministers, deputy ministers and state ministers.

Women got six ministerial posts, an increase in women quota in the executive branch, compared to the previous administrations. Endit