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Statement by Deputy President, J Zuma,
of the Republic of South Africa at the Swearing-In Ceremony
of the President Elect of the Transitional Federal Republic
of Somalia, His Excellency, Abudullahi Yusuf Ahmed,
Nairobi, Kenya, 14 October 2004
Your Excellency, President Mwai Kibaki of the Republic
of Kenya,
Your Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo of the
Federal
Republic of Nigeria, and Chairperson of the African
Union,
Your Excellency, President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda
Your Excellency, President Paul Kagame of the Republic
of Rwanda
Your Excellency, President Ali Abdullah Saleh of the
Republic of Yemen
Your Excellency, President Ishmael Omar Guellah of the
Republic of Djibouti
Your Excellency, President Domitien Ndayizeye of Burundi
Your Excellency, President Abdullah Yusuf Ahmed of Somalia
Your Excellency, the Vice President of Sudan, Mr Ali
Osman Taha
Your Excellency, Prime Minister Fredrick Sumaye of Tanzania
Secretary General of the Arab League, Mr Amir Moussa
Former President of Somalia Mr Abdul Kassim Sallat
All Ministers and Representatives of Governments
Representatives of the international community
Members of the Diplomatic Corps
The Speaker of Parliament of Somalia
Esteemed guests
It is indeed an honour for me to address this historic
event that marks intensive two years of negotiations
and deliberations, which led to the swearing-in of President
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as the newly elected President
of Somalia.
I bring warm wishes and congratulations of the President
of the Republic of South Africa, His Excellency Thabo
Mbeki, as well as the government and people of South
Africa.
On this very special occasion, we would like to warmly
congratulate and commend the member countries of the
Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD),
and in particular the host country Kenya in ensuring
that the Somalia peace and reconciliation process finally
reaches fruition.
The role that Kenya has played in the peace process
of Somalia, is contributing greatly to the realization
of the mission of the African continent, to rid Africa
of all forms of violence and conflict.
Occasions such as today's swearing-in ceremony reminds
us that peace in Africa is an achievable goal, and that
we can be able to achieve our objective of breaking
the vicious cycle of political instability, poverty,
and underdevelopment, as well as Africa's weak capacity
to defend and advance its interests in the global arena.
The key building blocks of this strategy are increased
political unity and concerted action through the African
Union (AU), and accelerated socio-economic transformation
through the New Partnership for Africa's Development
(NEPAD).
We therefore today extend our sincere congratulations
to President Ahmed, the leaders, and all the people
of Somalia, and offer them all our goodwill and support
for the huge task facing them. Thank you Mr President
and all parties for putting the interests of the people
of Somali first before individuals or political parties.
A united and stable Somalia will have a positive impact
on the stability in Eastern Africa and the continent
as a whole. It is therefore our sincerest wish that
this event herald a new era in Somalia in which peace
and stability will reign.
Another significance of today's occasion is that Africans,
we are once again demonstrating that we can produce
African solutions to African problems. We can only walk
tall and be proud as a continent if we continue with
this trend, to put our own house in order.
Your Excellencies, this African quest for peace will
also be taken a step further tomorrow, with the holding
of the 23rd Great Lakes Regional Summit on Burundi,
which is critical at this stage of the transitional
process in Burundi. The support provided by the East
African community and the Great Lakes region as a whole
to the Burundi peace process is phenomenal, and is a
demonstration of the willingness by all Africans to
work together to find solutions to problems that beset
our continent.
With regards to Somalia, we would also like to take
this opportunity to call upon all those parties that
have not participated in the reconciliation process
to now come on board, thereby ensuring a stable and
untied Somalia that will benefit all her people.
Our government will continue to provide support to
the people of Somalia in their quest for lasting peace
and stability, and will remain true to our mission of
building a better and peaceful Africa. Today is indeed
a momentous day for Africa.
I thank you.
Issued by: The Presidency
14 October 2004
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