Mogadishu welcomes new president

Can the new president impose order?

Somalia's new president, elected by a parliament-in-exile at the weekend, has arrived in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, escorted by dozens of armoured vehicles.

Powerful faction leaders in the city have refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of President Abdulkassim Salat Hassan, chosen at a peace conference in the neighbouring state of Djibouti at the weekend.

So his visit to Mogadishu is being seen as the new president's first crucial test as he attempts to stamp his authority on one of the most lawless places on earth.

Somalia has been without any central government since 1991

Mr Hassan, a minister in the former regime of Siad Barre, flew in from neighbouring Djibouti, where he and his new parliament live and work in exile.

From an airport west of Mogadishu, where he was greeted warmly by militiamen formerly loyal to a faction leader opposed to the civilian authority, he drove 90km into Mogadishu in a long and heavily-armed convoy of trucks.

Reception

On arrival in the capital, he received a huge welcome from tens of thousands of people who gathered at a football stadium.

The 58-year-old president later told businessmen and clan leaders his first priority was to reconcile the people and form a unified government in Somalia.

Ordinary Somalis want peace

But it is the reception he gets from Somalia's powerful faction leaders which will make or break this new peace initiative - the 13th in nine years.

Rival clan-based militia have carved up much of the country between themselves and many are opposed to the new parliament and president, chosen without their involvement.

Eighteen people were killed at the weekend during clashes between rival clans, and at least eight more are reported to have died since then.

Opposition

Meanwhile, several of the Somali faction leaders opposing Mr Hassan - including the powerful Hussein Aideed - are in Yemen, where officials said President Ali Abdallah Salih was trying to persuade them to support the new Somali administration.

However, the powerful Mogadishu leader Muse Sudi Yalahow reportedly refused to go with them.

The leaders of Somalia's two northern regions - Somaliland and Puntland - also remain strongly opposed to the new authority.