 |
Power-sharing deal may break Somali deadlock
The UN special envoy to Somalia, Augustine Mahiga has reiterated the likelihood of the new power-sharing deal in Somalia to offer its feuding leaders a way to reach agreement on political reform.
The mandate for Somalia's latest transitional government is expected to expire in August but the president and speaker of parliament, who covet the top job, are at loggerheads over what should happen then.
"The bottom line is that they all want to cling to power. So, around that fundamental issue, could there be a possibility of power-sharing? I don't know," said Mahiga.
"Let them believe there is something for all of them, that there is a win-win situation," he added.
Mahiga said incentives should be brought to the negotiating table, referring to planned talks in Mogadishu later this month.
The envoy hoped the talks would include regional leaders, local elders and women and move the debate beyond the row between president and speaker.
"This (inclusiveness) will create an atmosphere where the two protagonists can save face," he said.
Running out of patience
International leaders are said to be running out of patience with President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed, a former Islamist rebel leader, and speaker Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, once an ally of the leader as they fail to agree on the adoption of a new constitution.
Rebels seen as al Qaeda's proxy in the region have been controlling large parts of the country and pockets of the capital.
Diplomats acknowledged the fact that foreign donors and Somalia's neighbours cannot afford to turn their backs on the nation.
Somalia has had a series of transitional governments for seven years.
It has struggled hard to establish legitimacy throughout the country thus, opening the door to Islamist insurgents who are fighting to have their Islamic law included in the constitution.
The insurgent of the Islamists has paved way to piracy allowing it flourish off Somalia's shores.
Mahiga said the payment of multi-million dollar ransoms for the release of hijacked vessels encouraged piracy and attracted the involvement of international criminal gangs.
According to him, "Piracy is getting linked up to the operators of other activities such as drugs, human trafficking and arms trafficking."
"This is an area where there are specialised criminal actors on the international scene, (and) which is probably becoming more lucrative with fewer risks than even say drug-running,"he further said.
He said while foreign powers have deployed warships to the strategic waterways linking Europe and Asia, not enough attention was being paid to the coastline of central Somalia and the Puntland region where the pirates are based.
"You cannot openly say there is a link between piracy and international terrorism, but the potential is very great," Mahiga said.
Up to the task
Mahiga, who admitted the job of diplomat in Somalia was fraught with frustration, said he would not join the league diplomats assigned to Somalia desk who end up their mission with their heads on their hands.
"These are people who have perfected the art of deception and discouragement and making you feel that you are ready to give up," he said.
REUTERS/Shakira
|
