MOGADISHU, May 17 (NNN-Xinhua) — The United Nations in Somalia congratulated the newly-elected Somalian President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and welcomed the successful conclusion of the country’s presidential election.
James Swan, the UN Secretary-General’s special representative for Somalia, said the electoral process had been a long one, as well as actively competitive and that focusing on domestic and state-building priorities should now become the focus of attention.
“There have been some difficult moments in this lengthy election,” Swan said in a statement issued in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, after the Sunday evening vote. He said the voting process demonstrated that it was a genuine horse race, it was a competitive election, and that there was an opportunity for all of the candidates to contest fairly.
“So I think this is an opportunity now to demonstrate that the outcome is credible,” said the UN envoy Monday.
The 67-year-old Mohamud, who served as Somalia’s president between 2012 and 2017, won the presidential contest held at the heavily guarded airport hangar in Mogadishu due to threats by the al-Shabab terror group to disrupt the exercise.
Mohamud defeated incumbent Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed (Farmajo) who conceded his defeat and urged Somalis to rally behind the new president to develop Somalia.
Swan expressed the UN appreciation to the other candidates, and particularly Farmajo for respecting the outcome and for continuing the Somali tradition of embracing whoever wins and supporting them going forward.
With the electoral process over, it is now time for Somalis and for Somalia’s friends to come together to support the new government as it is installed, and to work on the critical national priorities that still face Somalia, including finishing the constitutional review process and addressing urgent needs for improved development, security and the current drought, said Swan. “There is much work to be done, and we look forward to being Somalia’s partners going forward.” — NNN-XINHUA
