Somali president appoints new Prime Minister

[News_Editor]

Somali president appoints new Prime Minister

2010-10-15 00:37:04 GMT+7 (ICT)

MOGADISHU, SOMALIA (BNO NEWS) -- Somali president Sheikh Sharif Ahmed on Wednesday announced the appointed of a new Prime Minister for the transitional government, Radio Bar-Kulan informed.

Sharif Ahmed appointed Mohamed Abdullahi, 48, as Prime Minister. Abdullahi is better known as "Farmajo." In the 1980s, Farmajo was the Ambassador of Indonesia to the United States.

"After consultation I have appointed Mohamed Abdullahi as the new prime minister. I wish him good luck," President Ahmed told at a press conference.

Abdullahi is the first Somali-American to be appointed as Prime Minister. He is expected to name his new cabinet soon but first the Somali parliament will need to confirm his appointment.

Farmajo was a social worker working with different aid groups and non-profit organizations in the United States. He replaced Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke as Prime Minister after he resigned last September 21 following a long-feud with Sharif.

The violence in Somalia is a result of the ongoing clashes between Islamic rebel insurgents (al-Shaabab) and the government of President Ahmed. Rebels have accused Ahmed of failing to establish order in the East African country and recently asked for his resignation.

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