Somalia's president steps down
Somalia's president steps down
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Monday, 29, Dec 2008 09:25
Somalia's president has told the country's parliament he is resigning.
Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed has been under pressure since last week when the parliament blocked his attempts to dismiss prime minister Nur Hassan Hussein.
"As I promised when you elected me on October 14th 2004, I would stand down if I failed to fulfill my duty, I have decided to return the responsibility you gave me," he told legislators in Baidoa on Monday.
"The speaker will take over my responsibility."
The current government has failed to restore security to Somalia, which has been without an effective central legislature since 1991.
"When I took power I pledged three things. If I was unable to fulfill my duty I will resign. Second, I said I will do everything in my power to make government work across the country. That did not happen either," Mr Yusuf said in a national radio broadcast.
"Third, I asked the leaders to cooperate with me for the common good of the people. That did not happen.
"Most of the country was not in our hands and we had nothing to give our soldiers. The international community has also failed to help us," the president declared.
Two years ago the government appealed to neighbouring Ethiopia for help in forcing out the Islamic Courts Union, a collection of armed opposition groups which had seized control of most of central and southern Somalia.
Mr Yusuf had clashed repeatedly with Mr Nur over attempts to negotiate a peace deal with the armed groups.