The recent appointment of Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and the impending formation of a Somali cabinet will help accelerate plans for security improvement to prevent chaos from re-emerging and work towards creating a nation free of violence.

Over the past few weeks the people of Somalia’s southern port city of Kismayo have witnessed the story of profound transformation, following the capture of the local seaport, airport and other key installations by the Somali National Army with support from AMISOM troops.

A former stronghold of the extremist insurgents, Kismayo has for years been robbed of its potential wealth to fund Al-Shabaab, but the new reality means that people in the city have a chance to start re-building Kismayo into a prosperous place once again.

President Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud is consulting local stakeholders on the formation of a local administration in Kismayo, to create a governing representative body to secure the area. Co-operation with regional actors and the African Union in this regard is in full swing. It is now imperative that a power vacuum is avoided in order to ensure the continuation of a peaceful transformation and to facilitate access for humanitarian and recovery actors.

The recent appointment of Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon and the impending formation of a Somali cabinet will help accelerate plans for security improvement to prevent chaos from re-emerging and work towards creating a nation free of violence.

With Kismayo, one of the most strategic cities in Somalia, now out of the hands of insurgents, time is of the essence. Authorities in Mogadishu must move quickly to establish local and district administrations and rule of law in order to ensure stability in this key city.

Residents of Kismayo watch as a convoy of the Kenyan Contingent serving with the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) makes its way through the city’s streets. AU-UN IST PHOTO/STUART PRICE - 2 October 2012


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