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Ethiopia: Political Leaders Agree on Key Reforms
- Posted by: Staff Writer just now in General 0 Comments
- ETHIOPIA
- Signatories of the Mogadishu Roadmap who were meeting in Addis Ababa agreed to make amends to the e some of the issues that were differed upon by the respective leaders, Garowe Online reports.
  
  The leaders, who have been meeting in Addis Ababa for the past two days, had met to discuss changes to the draft constitution, clarifications of committee mandates and discussion of overall progress of the Roadmap.
  
  The meeting was attended by the signatories of the process for ending the transition, including Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, President of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG); Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP), Dr. Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Prime Minister of TFG; Abdirahman Mohamed Mohamud (Farole), President of Puntland State; Mohamed Ahmed Aalim President of Galmudug State; Khaliif Abdulkadir Moallim Noor, Representative of Ahlu Sunnah Wal-Jama'a (ASWJ) and the UN Special Representative for Somalia (SRSG) Amb. Augustine Mahiga.
  
  The signatories, among many things agreed to additions of protocols for the constituent assembly and the Federal Parliament which will be chosen by no later than the 15th of July.
  
  The protocols are a guideline to the power and limitations of both the constituent assembly and parliament whose mandates were imprecise in previous agreements and the Somalia draft constitution.
  
  A Technical Selection Committee (TSC) was also one of the add-ons in the agreement in Addis Ababa. The TSC will consist of 27 members 7 of whom are international observers, 2 members from UNPOS, and the rest will be Somali members based on the 4.5 formula and will be selected by the signatories of the Roadmap.
  
  The TSC along with the traditional elders will ensure that the MP nominees and representatives of the National Constituent Assembly (NCA) fit the criteria stated in the Garowe II principles.
  
  Transitional Federal Government (TFG) officials who have been accused of meddling with the traditional elders currently in Mogadishu, were warned by leaders and the international community to stop their actions or face repercussions.
  
  To steer clear of any more disagreements among elders' clans or with politicians, an arbitration committee consisting of 25 leaders, 5 from each clan will resolve any problems that arise in the selection process of the NCA and federal parliament.
  
  According to the agreement obtained by Garowe Online, the TSC who will be selected by the end of this month will help the traditional elders select the members of the NCA, who will convene to vote adopt the Provisional Somalia constitution.
  
  The provisional constitution will be presented to the NCA, although it is still a temporary document the NCA will still vote after discussing the articles. The provisional constitution will remain like that until all federal states across Somalia are established. That vote is scheduled to take place by the 10th of July, a month and ten days before a new President of Somalia will be sworn in by a New Federal Parliament.
  
  Finances promised by the international community to the Roadmap process have delayed causing both Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas and UN Special Ambassador Mahiga, who chaired the opening day of discussions in Ethiopia, to request the funds be given so that the process can end on schedule. The international community, which attended the meeting in Addis Ababa and have had a very close eye on political matters unfolding in Somalia, have agreed to speed up funds to end the transition on time.
  
  TFG officials, who spoke to Garowe Online, said that despite setbacks to the Roadmap leaders have managed to agree on key issues that will hopefully steer Somalia towards a permanent government.
Tags:Addis Ababa., Transitional Federal Government (TFG), Mogadishu, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, Abdiweli Mohamed Ali, Garowe
Source:El-watan