Mr. Speaker, the hon. Sharif Hassan Shaykh Aden, Speaker of the Transitional Federal Parliament of Somalia, is visiting with his Canadian counterparts to share with us the many challenges that his country faces.
Just recently I returned from a fact finding mission to Somalia where I saw first-hand the heart-wrenching conditions that are the result of 14 years of civil war and the anarchy of warlordism.
I also met with President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed, Prime Minister Ali Muhammad Ghedi, as well as many ministers and parliamentarians of the transitional federal government.
The message I heard from the Somali people was that their country had arrived at an historic opportunity and that they were awaiting their leaders to rise to the occasion, to set aside their personal interests and ambitions in order to reclaim a future for the people of Somalia and for the children of Somalia.
I welcome Speaker Aden and I hope that his visit will give impetus to Canada playing a greater role in civil society building in Somalia during this historic opportunity.
Somalia Hánolato!