Somalia progress worries U.S.

WASHINGTON, May 4 (UPI) -- There are several steps the interim government in Somalia needs to complete before the transition period ends in August, a U.S. official said.

The interim government last year spelled out steps needed to end the transition period and form an official central government by August.

The interim government has made modest gains in exerting its authority beyond the capital Mogadishu. It's fighting for dominance against al-Shabaab, an al-Qaida affiliate seeking to establish in Islamic state.

Somalia this year earned praise from members of the international community for its resilience. Mark Toner, a spokesman for the U.S. State Department, said the U.S. government was encouraged by the political gains. He said, however, that interim authorities haven't approved a new constitution, selected a new Parliament or chosen new heads of state.

"The United States is following the lead of its African partners and working to help Somalia's transitional federal government and other Somali leaders seize the current opportunity to make progress toward greater security and political stability," Toner said in a statement.

U.N. officials this week added that the country's formal justice system is non-existent.

Somalia hasn't had a functioning central government since the 1990s.