Mr. Speaker, the people of war-torn Somalia and the Somalia diaspora greeted with much optimism the recent election of transitional President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed and the appointment of Prime Minister Ali Mohamed Gedi
Somalia is a state that has failed its people. This new government provides war-weary Somalis a chance; a chance to move toward peace and stability.
This past week the Somali parliament based in Kenya sent delegations to study security conditions and to examine the possibility of returning to a country that has had no effective central government for more than a decade.
Canadians are directly involved in this process of bringing democracy and civil society to Somalia. For example, 11 members of the Somali parliament are Somali Canadians and Canadian Somalis are in key positions in the Prime Minster's and other ministers' offices.
Canada must provide international leadership by formally recognizing the new transitional government of Somalia, a government which, while facing immense internal challenges, requires our international support.