New parliamentary plan for Somalia praised by UN chief


UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has welcomed Thursday's announcement by the Somalian government that it will embrace a new parliamentary system later this year.

Mr. Ban praised the commitment to create a new two-tier parliament, where 30 per cent of the seats will be reserved for women.

The decision by the Somali government came after broad-based consultations involving traditional elders, regional administrations and civil society.

The federal government took office in 2012, but prior to that Somalia had been in a state of clan-based civil war since the early 1990s.

Mr. Ban urged Somalis to support political reforms and move towards a fully democratic system based on universal suffrage by 2020.

More than 40 per cent of the population still relies on food aid, including more than a million who are internally displaced due to continued fighting.


SOURCE: UN Radio