LONDON, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Appointing a council of ministers in Somalia is an important milestone in the country's ongoing political development, the British government said.
Somali Prime Minister Abdi Farah Shirdon appointed a council of ministers last weekend. The assembly includes two women.
British Minister for Africa Mark Simmonds said the appointment was "another important milestone" for a country that, until recently, had no functioning central government since the 1990s.
"I look forward to working closely with the new council of ministers as they address the significant challenges ahead such as strengthening security and justice, taking forward political reconciliation, stimulating the economy and strengthening public financial management," he said in a statement.
The government in Mogadishu has struggled to exert control as it fights for influence against al-Shabaab, a militant group allied with al-Qaida. Authority over the port city of Kismayo recently returned the government after African forces helped overrun al-Shabaab.
The U.S. State Department confirmed that U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman met with Somali leaders in Mogadishu last weekend. She "urged the Somali leadership to continue to consolidate gains by helping local governance structures emerge through community dialogue and reconciliation," a department release stated.
