Somalia: Puntland Parliament approves cabinet with overwhelming majority

GAROWE, Puntland - The state parliament of Somalia's northeastern Puntland has unanimously approved the new cabinet appointed by president Said Abdullahi Deni last week, Garowe Online reports.

With 63 MPs out of 66-seat assembly present at Saturday's session in Garowe voted in favor of the new government with the presence of the president, according to the parliament speaker, Abdihakin Mohamed Ahmed.

The president thanked the house for the approval of his 48-member cabinet whose main task will be to boost growth and sort out fragile public finances in the country's oldest Federal State and oil-rich region.

The vote by show of hands suggested a large majority passed the new lineup. The ministerial appointees were put to a vote after they were sworn-in a few days ago. 

The Council of the Ministers delivered speeches on their memoirs and educational background to the state parliamentarians before being given the vote of the confidence.

The regional state is facing dual challenges facing security forces from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabab and the growing presence of fighters linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) group.

Deni who was elected last January pledged to handle the terrorist threats with an “iron fist” and urged the public and security agencies to work together cordially to create the right environment for both social and economic development.

GAROWE ONLINE