Rome (Fides Service)- “This is a new fact which deserves attention. The election of Abdullahi Yusuf as President of Somalia, opens the way for inserting warlords in the process of restoring peace in this country of Africa” researcher Federico Batter, an expert on Somalia and chair of African History at Trieste University, told Fides. On 10 October in Nairobi (Kenya) the parliament of Somalia elected as its president Abdullahi Yusuf, the President of the north east autonomous region of Puntland. Yusuf won 185 votes, compared to 76 in favour of his adversary Abdullahi Ahmed Addou, former diplomat and finance minister.
“Yusuf is a solider, a sort of warlord” Battera said. “I doubt he will be content to remain mayor of a part of Mogadishu, as his predecessors were called and whose powers were limited. Since his attempt to be elected President succeeded, Yusuf probably thinks it would be possible to insert the warlords who control the different parts of Somalia into the political process. But unless he has the support of the international community he will fail”.
“As with Afghanistan, it is a question of integrating the warlords into the political process at all levels and gradually strengthening the authority of the state. But the process is long and arduous” Battera said. “Another fact to consider is that Yusuf, coming from Puntland a region which claims autonomy in a federal Somalia still to be set up, could give a decisive push in the direction of federalism, unless as President of Somalia he decides it is more convenient to maintain a centralist state”.
“Yusuf is also popular in Ethiopia which has good relations with Puntland and he is liked by the US administration which considers him an adversary of Islamic fundamentalists. This means he may be backed by part of the international community” Battera said. “We do not know how Yusuf will act with regard to Somaliland, the northern region of Somalia which declared its independence more than 10 years ago” the researcher said. “Puntland and Somaliland have a border dispute but a are not in open conflict. Both Puntland and Somaliland are supported by Ethiopia and this may have helped to prevent a war. If Yusuf is able to reinforce his position as President of Somalia he might also decide to try to de-stabilise Somaliland, but this is only a thought”. (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 12/10/2004 righe 36 parole 456)