Mohamed Sheikh Nor
Friday June 10, 2022
MOGADISHU, SOMALIA — Hassan
Sheikh Mohamud was inaugurated as the 10th president of Somalia Thursday in a
colorful ceremony attended by hundreds of people, including the leaders of
Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. In his inaugural speech, Mohamud warned that in
addition to the danger posed by al-Shabab, severe drought poses an immediate
threat to the country.
Cheers and applause punctuated the new president's speech as
he promised to tackle corruption, poverty, insecurity and the humanitarian
crisis that has devastated Somalia in recent months. However, he warned the
continued lack of rain could have grave consequences for the country.
Somalia is extremely vulnerable to drought, Mohamud said,
and there are fears that the drought will turn into famine. The president noted
these droughts now happen almost every year, and said there are many reasons
for this, including climate change. He outlined his agenda for the next four
years, saying he will prioritize reconciliation and the restoration of
institutions to give citizens hope.
Mohamud, who previously served as president from 2012 to
2017, said that during his new term he will "ensure the rule of law is
maintained, the judiciary is strengthened, people's confidence in government is
restored and poverty will be tackled.”
In addition, the new president thanked the international
community for supporting the recently concluded electoral process. The process
lasted over a year because of political disputes that at one point saw
Mohamud’s predecessor attempt to extend his mandate by 24 months.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, Djiboutian President Omar
Guelleh and Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also addressed the ceremony.
Abiy said the peaceful handover of power of Somalia is a
milestone and a major step towards the goal of achieving one-person one-vote
elections.
Kenyatta said a stable Somalia is in the interest of Kenya,
adding that his country is ready to open business opportunities between the two
countries.
“I personally look forward to working with you, to remove
all barriers to trade, to open our borders, to establish air links between our
two countries, so that our people can come closer together,” Kenyatta said.
The most urgent issue for the region is the drought, which
also has severely affected Ethiopia and Kenya. Hundreds of thousands have fled
their homes in search of food and water, and aid agencies have warned an
official declaration of famine may not be far away.