GAROWE, Somalia Nov 4 (Garowe Online) - A politician who has held various government posts in Somalia including becoming a Prime Minister has declared his candidacy for the president of Puntland, Radio Garowe reported Tuesday.

Hassan Abshir, who is a Member of Parliament for the Somali Transitional Federal Government (TFG), told a press conference in the Puntland capital of Garowe that he decided to run for president after receiving advice from different sectors of society.

Hassan Abshir [left] and Abdiqassim Salat

He distributed documents to the media detailing his top priorities if elected to the Puntland presidency.

Mr. Abshir's presidential platform focused on improving security on land and at sea, collecting taxes and providing public services, while appealing for peaceful relations with Somali clans that inhabit regions neighboring Puntland.

The document stated that, if elected president, Mr. Abshir would restore the public's respect for traditional elders by establishing for them a constitutional body with legislative powers.

Currently, traditional elders wield informal authority through Puntland's clan-based political system by having voting power to appoint parliamentary delegates.

Mr. Abshir has served many different authorities during his political career.

He served as Mogadishu's mayor during the reign of Gen. Mohamed Siad Barre before Somalia's last effective government collapsed in 1991.

When Puntland was established in 1998, Mr. Abshir served as a Cabinet minister under the leadership of Abdullahi Yusuf, the current TFG president.

In 2001, he revolted against Yusuf and became the second Prime Minister of the Transitional National Government (TNG), established in Arta, Djibouti, and led by Mr. Abdiqassim Salat Hassan. The TNG was largely a failure and was only able to control a few blocks in Mogadishu.

Mr. Abshir has served as Minister of Fisheries for the Cabinet of TFG Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi, but was excluded from the new Cabinet when Gedi resigned.

Puntland is poised to hold presidential elections in January 2009.

Source: Garowe Online