AU, UN appeal to Somali leaders for unity with new House speaker

MOGADISHU, May 2 (Xinhua) -- The African Union and United Nations envoys in Somalia have lauded the peaceful election of Mohamed Sheikh Abdirahman Mursal as the new Speaker of the House of the People and called for unity among leaders.

In separate statements issued on Tuesday evening, Francisco Madeira, Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission (SRCC) for Somalia and Michael Keating, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative, urged the leaders to respect the constitution in conduct of all parliamentary and government business.

"The people of Somalia will benefit if political actors take steps to strengthen the capacity and bolster the integrity of key State institutions," Keating said.

"The supremacy of the Constitution and the rule of law should be respected in the conduct of all parliamentary and government business," he added.

Mursal was elected on Monday as new Speaker of Parliament in Somalia in a tightly contested race to replace Mohamed Osman Jawari who resigned early this month after a political stand-off.

In his statement, Madeira expressed AMISOM's support in helping the federal parliament perform its constitutional duties to ensure peace and stability is restored in Somalia.

"AMISOM will continue working closely with members of the federal parliament in their effort to bring back lasting peace and security," said the envoy. Enditem