Transitional National Government of Somalia
The Transitional National Government (TNG) was the internationally recognized central government of Somalia from 2000 to 2004.
Transitional National Government of the Republic of Somalia | |||||||||
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| 2000–2004 | |||||||||
 Flag
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| Anthem: (2000) Heesta calanka Soomaaliya (2000–2004) Soomaaliyeey toosoo | |||||||||
.svg) | |||||||||
| Capital | Mogadishu | ||||||||
| Common languages | Somali · Arabic | ||||||||
| Religion | Islam | ||||||||
| Government | Provisional government | ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
• 2000-2004 | Abdiqasim Salad Hassan | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
| 5 May 2000 | |||||||||
| 14 October 2004 | |||||||||
| ISO 3166 code | SO | ||||||||
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Overview
editThe TNG was established in April–May 2000 at the Somalia National Peace Conference held in Arta, Djibouti.[1]
In principle, the Transitional National Charter, which gave rise to the TNG, recognized de facto regional autonomy and the existence of new entities in the north of the former Somalia, home to relatively homogenous clans. In some parts of Somalia, however, decentralization meant state authority disintegrated.[2]
Somalia's powerful neighbor, Ethiopia, immediately opposed the TNG, fearing that Somali reunification would reignite claims on the Ogaden region. In response, Ethiopia supported groups in Somalia that resisted the TNG and actively sponsored the formation of opposition alliances to preserve its strategic interests. Most notably, it sponsored the creation of a powerful anti-TNG warlord coalition called the Somalia Reconciliation and Restoration Council (SRRC) which was founded in Ethiopia during mid-2001. The SRRC served as the main political and military opposition to the TNG.[3] The emergence of the TNG alarmed Puntland's ruling government, who saw feared that a reunified Somalia would be oriented to the south. In January 2001, Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed requested the United Nations 'review its decision' to recognize the TNG and protested to the Arab League about support being given to the government.[4] Yusuf also joined the Ethiopian warlord coalition in order to undermine the TNG.[5] After the 9/11 attacks, the Ethiopian government openly accused the TNG leadership of being Islamic extremists who were pro-Bin Laden[6] and the SRRC called on the international community to intervene in Somalia and set up a transitional government akin to Afghanistan.[7]
According to Le Sage, the TNG in 2002 had all of the organs of a national government, including executive and judicial structures as well as a parliament, a police force and standing army. However, its institutions remained very weak on account of a dearth of basic office equipment, lack of territorial control, and inability to raise tax revenue. Due to these limitations, the TNG was unable to provide basic social services. Ministers and legislators also often expressed frustration at being shut out of the real decision-making process, and of often receiving irregular and limited salaries. As such, Le Sage argues that the public officials served more as symbols of the potential for a broad-based, national government.[8] The TNG's internal problems led to the replacement of the prime minister four times in three years, and the administrative body's reported bankruptcy in December 2003. Its mandate ended at the same time.[9]
A strong Somali state not dependent on Addis Ababa was perceived as a security threat to the Ethiopian state,[10][11] and consequently the Ethiopian government heavily backed the formation of the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) in 2004 and the presidency of Abdullahi Yusuf on the grounds that he would give up Somalia's long standing claim to the Ogaden.[12]
On October 10, 2004, legislators elected Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed as the first president of the transitional federal government (TFG), the TNG's successor.[13] He received 189 votes from the TFG Parliament, while the closest contender, erstwhile Somali ambassador to Washington Abdullahi Ahmed Addou, got 79 votes in the third round of voting. The then incumbent President of Somalia, TNG leader Abdiqasim Salad Hassan, peacefully withdrew his candidature.[14][15]
History
edit2000
edit- Somalia National Peace Conference (SNPC) or Djibouti Conference, held in Arta, Djibouti, on April 20 - May 5, 2000.[16] The name Transitional National Government (TNG) was selected for the initiative at this time.
- Election of Abdiqasim Salad Hassan as President by clan representatives
2001
edit- National Commission for Reconciliation and Property Settlement
2002
edit- 2002 Somali Reconciliation Conference held in Eldoret, Kenya[17]
- Appointment of General Ismail Qasim Naji as the leader of the army in January 2002.[18][19] The army in March 2002 numbered 2,010 men and 90 women.[20]
- Mutinies in early 2002.[21]
Leaders and members
edit- Abdiqasim Salad Hassan – President
- Gen. Ismail Qasim Naji – Army commander (Somali Armed Forces)
- Ali Khalif Galaydh – 1st Prime Minister, October 8, 2000 – October 28, 2001
- Osman Jama Ali – 2nd Prime Minister, briefly held post October 28–November 12, 2002[9]
- Hassan Abshir Farah – 3rd Prime Minister, 12 November 2002–December 8, 2003
- Mohamed Abdi Yusuf – 4th Prime Minister, December 31, 2003 – November 3, 2004[9]
- Ali Mahdi Muhammad – MP in the TNG
- Rasack Yousuf – MP in the TNG
- Abdirahman Omar – MP in the TNG
- Mahamed Saeed – MP in the TNG
References
edit- ^ Central Intelligence Agency (2014). "Somalia". The World Factbook. Langley, Virginia: Central Intelligence Agency. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
- ^ Women and Gender Equality in Peace Processes: From Women at the Negotiating Table to Postwar Structural Reforms in Guatemala and Somalia, Sumie Nakaya, Global Governance Vol. 9, No. 4 (Oct.–Dec. 2003), pp. 459-476
- ^ Murison 2002, p. 945.
- ^ Murison 2002, p. 947.
- ^ "Profile: Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed". BBC News. 2008-12-29. Retrieved 2024-03-09.
He was a member of an Ethiopian-backed coalition of warlords that blocked previous attempts at restoring order. As a result of this opposition, the authority of the Transitional National Government (TNG) formed in 2000 was undermined.
- ^ Elmi, Afyare Abdi; Barise, Dr Abdullahi (2006). "The Somali Conflict: Root causes, obstacles, and peace-building strategies" (PDF). African Security Review. 15 (1): 32–53. doi:10.1080/10246029.2006.9627386.
- ^ "Analysis: Somalia's powerbrokers". BBC News. 2002-01-08. Retrieved 2024-07-29.
- ^ Somalia: Sovereign Disguise for a Mogadishu Mafia, Andre Le Sage,Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 29, No. 91, (Mar., 2002), pp. 132-138
- ^ a b c "TNG Prime Minister Concludes Formation of Cabinet". 2003-12-31. Archived from the original on September 21, 2004. Retrieved 2014-04-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^ Cocodia, Jude (2021-04-03). "Rejecting African Solutions to African Problems: The African Union and the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia". African Security. 14 (2): 110–131. doi:10.1080/19392206.2021.1922026. ISSN 1939-2206. S2CID 236350899.
Ethiopia considered a weak Somali state dependent on Ethiopian support as a lesser threat than a strong one. This propelled Ethiopia to undertake the forceful installment of the TFG.
- ^ "Ethiopia prepares to attack Somali Islamists – Eritrea". Sudan Tribune. 21 August 2006.
- ^ Cocodia, Jude (2021-04-03). "Rejecting African Solutions to African Problems: The African Union and the Islamic Courts Union in Somalia". African Security. 14 (2): 110–131. doi:10.1080/19392206.2021.1922026. ISSN 1939-2206. S2CID 236350899.
The TFG had Ethiopia's approval on the basis that under Yusuf, Somalia will rest its claim to the Ogaden region
- ^ Somali PM optimistic about rebuilding country
- ^ Somalia MPs elect new president
- ^ Rulers - Somalia - October 2004
- ^ Somalia National Peace Conference Program, hosted at Banadir.com
- ^ SOMALIA: Interview with Barre Adan Shire, chairman of the Juba Valley Alliance (JVA) IRIN
- ^ "The Lives of 18 American Soldiers Are Not Better Than Thousands of Somali Lives They Killed, Somalia's TNG Prime Minister Col. Hassan Abshir Farah says". Somalia Watch. 2002-01-22. Archived from the original on 2007-01-03. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ "Somalia: Warlords lay down weapons". SomaliNet. 2007-01-17. Archived from the original on 2008-10-14. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ "War Clouds Over Somalia". Middle East Report. 2002-03-22. Retrieved 2007-01-17.
- ^ Somalia: Countering Terrorism in a Failed State, ICG Africa Report N°45, 23 May 2002, p.6
Sources
edit- Murison, Katharine, ed. (31 October 2002). "Somalia". Africa South of the Sahara 2003. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-85743-131-5.