Somali Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein Monday welcomed the resignation of President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as "a step towards national reconciliation."
Speaking at a news conference in Mogadishu, Hussein, whose disagreement with the president finally led to the latter's resignation Monday, said the president's move was democratic and called him to advance peace efforts in the country as a Somali citizen.
"I hope former president Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed will continue to work in the interest of peace in his new capacity as an ordinary Somali citizen," Hussein said.
The Somali premier called on the international community to expedite the deployment of UN peacekeeping forces in Somalia.
Hussein vowed to work with the parliament Speaker Sheik Aden Madoobe who is now also the acting president of the transitional government of Somalia until an election for a new president is held by the Somali parliament within 30 days.
A UN-sponsored power sharing agreement between the transitional government and a key opposition faction stipulates the expansion of the current parliament to include opposition members and the election of new leadership for the war-torn Horn of African country early next year.
Hussein and Yusuf have been in deep disagreement over a variety of issues including the way the national reconciliation is being handled.
The president sacked the prime minister on Dec. 14, accusing him of incompetence, embezzlement and mismanagement, charges vehemently denied by the latter.
The Somali parliament, one day after the sacking of the prime minister, voted to endorse Hussein and his government, overturning Yusuf's decision.
Rejecting the vote of parliament, Yusuf named Mohamed Mohamoud Guled Gamadere as new prime minister to replace Hussein the following day. But Gamad here resigned Wednesday, saying he did not want to be an obstacle to peace.
Source:Xinhua
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