by Nick Freundlich
Somalia has not had a central government since 1991, and continuing violence has plagued the region, displacing around one million people in recent months. However, Colonel Nur Hassan Hussein has been appointed the Prime Minister of the Federal Transitional Government of Somalia. This appointment could lead to decreased violence and perhaps the building of a powerful federal government in Somalia. Ban Ki-moon has stated that he is pleased with the steps towards peace. Hussein has experience dealing with humanitarian issues in Somalia and thus provides a new perspective on how to go about reconstructing the country, stressing the importance of human rights. Ban Ki-moon has pledged that the UN will continue to support Somalia’s construction of a democratic government. The Somalian Transitional Federal Charter calls for broad-based, representative institutions and the creation of a new constitution which will be adopted by popular referendum.
This seems to be a huge step in the right direction for Somalia. If the Prime Minister can assume a position of real power, help to end factional violence, and bring the people who have been displaced back to their homes, Somalia has a good shot at being able to build itself back up. This movement towards building a centralized government will also attract a lot more aid from the UN and other organizations because they will see that the country is making a real effort. The UN’s position in all of this is still rather confusing, though, because less than a month ago, Ban Ki-moon was noted as saying that a UN peacekeeping mission in Somalia was “not realistic or viable,” so what does this newly pledged support really entail? Just approval and some money? That would not seem especially helpful, although I’m not really sure what else the UN could do. Does anyone have any information as to what the UN’s support really means in this situation? Are they just nodding their heads in agreement and letting the new Prime Minister work things out for himself?
