Similarties between TNG of Arte and TFG of Mbagathi

by Salad Idow Hassan (Xiis)
Monday, August 04, 2008

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August Mogadishu, Somalia (HOL) - Somalia has experienced countless efforts of peace negotiations to bring the warring factions into a political settlement throughout the years, as the country plunged into an all-out-civil-war, toppling the powerful military dictator, Siyad Bare, in early 1990’s. For most negotiations - of over 15 major conferences - only two of them would give birth to transitional governments.

The dialogue in Arta, Djibouti of 2000 has resulted in the formation of the Transitional National Government, (TNG), led by Dr. Abdikasim Salad Hassan as president. The conference was dominated by civil society, individuals from the business community, and leaders from Somalis’ Diaspora communities, exempting the warlords and others who have taken part of the civil strife.

But as the TNG relocated to Mogadishu, hopes to refurbish the anarchic nation’s institutions had quickly begun to falter. With the support of Ethiopia, warlords become key stumbling blocks amid internal rifts between the TNG’s highest leadership.

A/qasim Salad Hasan , Ali Khalif Galeyr, Hassan Abshir Farah, Mohamed Cabdi Yusuf & Abdalla Derow Isak

Similarities for the two governments	Transitional National Government (past)	Transitional Federal Government (present)
Both formed outside of Somalia	√	√
Resulted out of lengthy negotiations	√	√
Parliamentarian system	√	√
Parliament elect president	√	√
President choose Prime Minister	√	√
Prime Minister pick cabinet members	√	√
Government member distributions through 4.5 clan formula	√	√
1^st PM designated for a Ph.D. holder	√	√
2^nd PM designated for a Colonel	√	√
Speaker of parliament hails Digil & Mirifle clan	√	√
In few years, PM and President ensued by chronic rifts	√	√
Government mired by internal conflicts	√	√
Speaker of parliament sacked twice	√	√
Both PM hail from one clan	√	√
No constitution, only transitional charters	√	√

However, another peace negotiation has ensued. This time with more warlords and few individuals from the civil society, the outcome of a lengthy negotiation in Nairobi, Kenya from 2002 to late 2004, has become the Transitional Federal Government, spearheaded by a former Colonel, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, as president.

from left: Abdullahi Y. Ahmed, Ali M. Gedi, Nur H. Hussein, Sharif H. Sheikh Adan and Sh. Adan Mohamed Nur

The TFG has gained quick support from Ethiopia, including the deployment of thousands of Ethiopia’s military to invade Somalia at the end of 2006, prompting an occupation that devastated the country for 19-months now. Coupled that is the diplomatic and financial support by the West and the United Nations, the TFG and the occupying Ethiopian forces in Somalia faced an swirling resistance from the Islamic Courts Union who undermined every measure they took in the past years.

As compared with the TFG, the TNG was said to have obtained slight economic support during its brief reign, mainly from wealthy Arab nations. But according to observers, the TFG is winding down – whether it enjoys huge support or not - to the path of its early predecessor.

With less than 11 months remaining from its mandate, the clock is ticking against the TFG, having a little prospect to reverse directions. Though the Djibouti pact, (an initial ceasefire agreement to follow several steps of agreements), has revived some hopes among the Somali people, it seems the deal between the Alliance for Reliberation of Somalia (ARS) and the TFG was dashed by the escalating row between the PM and the President, while the constant attacks between the insurgent forces and the Ethiopian troops inside Somalia are raging across the country.

Hiiraan Online