U.N. hails election of new Somali president

DJIBOUTI (Reuters) -- The United Nations on Sunday welcomed the election of Abdiqassim Salad Hassan as interim president for Somalia after a decade of anarchy.

A message from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, read at a ceremony to install Hassan, said it was an important step on the road to peace for the poor Horn of Africa country where warlords have prevailed since 1991.

Reading out Annan's message, the U.N. envoy to Somalia, David Stephen, also paid tribute to Djibouti's president for hosting the Somali peace conference that elected Hassan on Saturday.

Proceedings at the inauguration ceremony in the small town of Arta were relayed live by Djibouti radio and television.

"This event ... marks an important milestone in the efforts of the Somali people to re-establish Somalia as a member of the community of nations through an inclusive consultative process," Stephen quoted Annan as saying.

"I would like to pay tribute to (Djibouti) President Guelleh's vision and initiative. His tireless efforts and dedication have made this important event possible."

Annan also urged the Somali factions which have so far boycotted the peace process to join in.

"Let us hope that the building of national institutions will give added momentum to the peace process and encourage those who have remained outside to join your common endeavor.

"The U.N. will continue to do all it can to assist the people of Somalia in their efforts to meet the challenges ahead. We are mindful that the peace process belongs to the Somali people and that no outside party can replace their genuine commitment to building lasting peace and reconciliation."

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For more Africa news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about Africa

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.