With the election of a Speaker of its newly formed Parliament late on Wednesday, Somalia edged closer to its first national government in 13 years.
In a delayed and drawn-out session, the parliamentarians elected businessman Shariff Hassan Sheikh Adan as the new Speaker.
A spokesperson for the Somali peace process said Adan is now Somalia’s acting head of state.
Somalia is the only country in the world without a government.
The next step toward establishing one will be the election of a president, which is scheduled for September 22.
There are about 60 Somali presidential candidates. Only a few of them are women. One of the candidates is Hussein Aideed, son of infamous warlord Mohammed Farah Aideed.
The president’s first task will be to select a prime minister, who will be responsible for forming an interim government.
Elections are supposed to be held in five years’ time.
”What is of paramount importance is that Somalia gets a government to stand on its feet again,” Adan told the gathered parliamentarians after his election.
The breakaway region of Somaliland in northern Somalia is not taking part in the new Parliament.
Lengthy peace talks have been taking place in Kenya. In January this year, rival Somali factions signed a deal to set up a new Parliament.
While the election of speaker was taking place in Nairobi, reports came of continued clashes between rival warlords near the southern Somali port city of Kismayo.
According to reports, militiamen from the Jubba Valley Alliance have clashed with fighters loyal to a warlord known as General Morgan, who is advancing on Kismayo.
Morgan is the only major warlord outside the peace process. — Sapa-DPA