Sunday, November 4, 2012

Somalia forms new govt, woman named foreign minister: official

Alarabiya.net English

Members of Somalia’s new parliament place their hands on copies of the holy Quran. (AFP)
Members of Somalia’s new parliament place their hands on copies of the holy Quran. (AFP)
Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon Said on Sunday announced the members of his new government, noting that a woman has been named as foreign minister for the first time in the country’s history.

“After long discussions and consultations, I have named my cabinet which consists of only ten members. Among them is a female foreign affairs minister for the first time in Somali history,” the prime minister said.

The new foreign minister, Fowsiyo Yusuf Haji Adan, hails from the self-declared independent state of Somaliland and lived for a long time in Britain.

“My nomination as the foreign minister is historic for the Somali country and particularly for the women of Somalia, it turns a new page for the political situation of our country and will lead to success and prosperity,” she said.

Somalia has been in political chaos and deprived of a central government since the fall of President Siad Barre in 1991.

The new administration brings eight years of transitional rule by the corruption riddled and Western-backed government to an end.

Said himself was appointed in October.

His new cabinet will now have to be approved by the Somali parliament.

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