20101023
Garowe Online

Nairobi — Somalia's Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has been urged to be more of itself by stopping internal cycle of political wrangles and repeated changes of its top leadership since its affecting its credibility among many Somali citizens.

According to U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African affairs, Johnnie Carson, TFG officials need to stop their personal business and instead concentrate in improving service delivery and security to the people of Somalia as its mandate comes to an end as per the Djibouti Agreement which expires in August 2011.

Mr. Carson addessed a workshop organized by Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 20 to furthr elaborate the State Department's new "dual-track" Somalia policy, which will be a divergent of the previous approach of Djibouti Agreement which saw the expansion of the TFG to include 'moderate Islamists,'

He added that it was time the Somalis be part of the solution in their country both residents and those in Diaspora.

"Insecurity in Somalia is a concern to its neighboring countries and its instability has spread like cancer and the problem can not be ignored by the international community," Mr. Carson said.

In absence of stability and effective government in Somalia, America's top Africa diplomat Mr. Carson has allowed foreign fighters sympathetic to Al-Qaeda to link up with Al-shabaab insurgents, who have carried out numerous suicide bombings

U.S. officials say the dual-track policy shift is broader and more complex and will see partnership with local governments drawn from Puntland and Somaliland in northern Somalia, but also local clans in south-central Somalia to help bring to an end to the 20 year old problem of instability and violence in the Horn of Africa country.

"Over the last 18 months, we have worked under the single-track approach of the Djibouti declaration which required us to support TFG and Sheik Sharrif government to bring stability in Somalia but the method has not been working," Carson added.

Under the new approach the international community will involve all stakeholders drawn from the larger Somali by bringing them together in an effort to help end Somalia's 20-year armed conflict.

He further added that the dual-track approach supports and is designed to help advance the progress and relative stability in the stable sub-states of Somaliland and Puntland, located in northern Somalia straddling the strategic Gulf of Aden waterway.

Mogadishu, located in southern Somalia, is the epicenter of a three-year insurgency between Islamist rebels allied to Al Qaeda and African Union troops (AMISOM) funded by Western powers.

Carson said June's presidential elections and smooth transition of power in Somaliland was "a milestone" in political dialogue which can be borrowed and implemented in the larger Somalia by all people of goodwill, even though the U.S. government made it explicitly clear it will not recognize Somaliland as a sovereign country.

On Puntland, Mr. Carson underlined the peace and stability in Puntland while remarking that Puntland's government needs to "do more" in press freedom.

He further promised long term commitment to support Somalia and warned those who benefit from piracy that they will face sanctions and will be exposed.

Mr. Carson further called on the international community to do more by coming forth with meaningful contribution to advance the process of stability in Somali.

He urged the governments of Kenya and South Africa and other Islamic countries to emulate their counter parts like Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda in providing assets and troops to AMSIOM peacekeepers in Mogadishu.