President Hassan: Alshabab trained members of Boko Haram

The president of the federal government of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud who was speaking at Brookings institute- an American foreign policy research center- talked about the challenges facing democracy in Somalia.

President Hassan said Somalia has a good opportunity to achieve peace and stability after more than two decades of civil war and war against what he termed as “extremists”, who he said are a threat to the region and the world at large. Stating that Alshabab is not belonged to a certain ethnic group or region, but an ideology that has no boundaries.

As a paradigm, the president said, “Al-shabab trained members of Boko Haram of Nigeria, and that shows their cooperation and borderless ideology”.

He stated that Alshabab can’t be defeated only through military combat to end the violence, but rather there should be other alternatives providing ways of life for fragile communities and to win the heart of the youth and shabab members who joined them because of historical grievances.

Commenting on the governments efforts to improve  the security institutions president Hassan said, “Since we came to office we have done some progress in building our national army by converting the clan militia to professional national force”. He vowed, praising the security forces efforts in restoring peace in the country towards the 2016 elections.

Answering a question on whether his government will accept clan elders-led negotiations between Alshabab and the government the president said, “… the door of dialogue is always open… We are ready to negotiate with everybody in condition of denouncing violence and extremism ideology..”

“There is possibility of negotiating with Alshabab”. He added.

On other hand, the president of the federal government spoke about the relations and talks with Somaliland, where he said we now getting closer compared to how the situation was two years ago.

Hassan Sheikh urged the international community and the aid agencies to provide the right aid that the Somali people need at the right time.

President Mohamud said he would not call groups like Al-Shabaab and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), jihadists or Islamists, but instead extremists, comparing them to the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and the World War II kamikaze pilots of Japan.