The transitional tasks still need a lot of work
The transitional period of the TFG, due to end in August 2011, has just nine months to go. There is a lot to be accomplished in these remaining months and completion is going to be an uphill struggle. Among the major elements that need to be dealt with in this limited time are finalizing the draft constitution and preparing the laws for the setting up of parties and for elections. There is a very obvious need for concerted and coordinated moves by all concerned and in particular by the TFG, which will have to get its act together and move forward urgently. The most immediate task now is of course the announcement of the new cabinet line-up, which then has to be endorsed by the Transitional Federal Parliament. This is the first stage to enable the TFG to move forward to accomplish these transitional tasks.
In the meantime, the TFG has expressed its appreciation for the work achieved by the Puntland administration in its struggle against extremist groups, led by Sheikh 'Atom', which were hiding in the Galgala mountains. Puntland security has succeeded in removing the threat posed by this terrorist group, at least for the time being. It was in early August that Puntland troops first launched a massive military offensive in the Galgala area, roughly 60km southwest of Bosasso, Puntland's port city. The Puntland authorities have now declared that they have seized all of the militants' training camps and strongholds in the Galgala and, according to President Farole, Atom's fighters have now fled the Galgala area.
This is a welcome development but the accusations and counter-accusations that are being made between Puntland and Somaliland on the issue of the Galgala terrorists are less welcome and certainly unnecessary, as are any references to the issue of Sool and Sanaag, the regions disputed between Somaliland and Puntland. Although Puntland has pointed a finger at the role of Somaliland, Somaliland has made it very clear that it will strongly oppose any terrorists including the Galgala group. Mr. Abdullahi Geljire, the Information Minister of Somaliland, has spoken very clearly on the Galgala conflict: "We consider Atom to be a terrorist and we will hunt him down if he sets foot inside Somaliland." Earlier, Puntland and Somaliland had begun to co-operate on security issues, and since Al-Shabaab has made it clear it regards itself as the enemy of both administrations, they should redouble their efforts to coordinate their activities further in this regard. Following its recent serious setback in Mogadishu at the hands of the TFG and AMISOM, Al-Shabaab appears to be looking for an easy victory somewhere else. Somaliland and Puntland are relatively easy targets, and there is an obvious need for strong cooperation and coordination between the two administrations against their common enemy as well the need to find a satisfactory mechanism to sort out their differences amicably.
In another development, the newly elected President of Somaliland, Ahmed Mahmoud Silanyo, is expected to arrive in Addis Ababa on 18th November. During his visit the new leader will be meeting with senior Ethiopian government officials and will hold extensive discussions on bilateral and regional issues of common concern. Following his defeat in the recent elections in Somaliland, Dahir Riyale Kahin handed over power to the newly elected government in an impressively orderly and smooth transition. The international community now appears to be showing more interest in supporting these recent and positive developments in Somaliland.