His Excellency Prime Minister Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed concluded his successful two-day working visit to the towns of Marka and Qoryoley in Lower Shabelle region on Thursday (May 8th). The Prime Minister’s visit is part of his ongoing tour of different regions of the country to monitor the political and economic development of those areas as well to oversee the stabilization of areas that have been liberated.
Accompanied by cabinet members, members of parliament, and senior politicians from the region, the Prime Minister was warmly welcomed in both towns where he met with the Lower Shabelle regional administration, SNA and AMISOM officers who briefed him about the region’s progress and their ongoing operations to ensure security. He also met with community leaders, traditional elders and civil society groups who expressed their support for the government.
Addressing the community of Marka, the Prime Minister said:
“Thank you for the wonderful welcome you have extended to my delegation. I also thank the Lower Shabelle regional administration for their commitment to bringing peace and development to the region as we continue to emerge from this difficult phase of our country’s history.
“I am visiting to assess the progress of this community as well as your challenges in order to serve you better. My government is committed to serving the needs of this community, and others across the country.
“Lower Shabelle is very important to our country’s economy due to the region’s agricultural prospects. We are committed to restoring the region’s infrastructure so that it can meet its potential.”
During his visit, the Prime Minister visited the General Hospital of Marka and met with patients who were injured in the last terrorist attack by al-Shabaab. He praised their courage and thanked them for their service to the country. Responding to the needs of the hospital, the Prime Minister pledged to facilitate assistance to the hospital.
The Prime Minister concluded his two-day working visit to Lower Shabelle region in Qoryoley, which has been newly liberated from the terrorist group al-Shabaab.
Speaking to the people of Qoryoley the prime minister said:
“I am happy to be in this wonderful town and to see our people free from the tyranny of the terrorists. We will continue to support this community as it recovers and make progress.”
On his return to Mogadishu, the Prime Minister said:
“We had a successful trip and I was happy to visit and talk to the people of Marka and Qoryoley. I applaud the hard work of the Somali National Forces and AMISOM as they work with the communities of these two towns to ensure security. I was able to meet with the citizens of these two towns and they shared their experiences and concerns with me. My administration will continue to engage with the Somali people in a similar manner.”
The Prime Minister said the government will not stop its efforts to establish governance in all the regions of the country, and dismissed malicious rumors by terrorists who falsely claimed to have attacked his convoy as he returned to Mogadishu. He said such unfounded claims were aimed at undermining the progress of the government and wanted to take the focus away from these important regional visits. The Prime Minister reiterated his commitment to staying connected to Somali citizens in all regions and said he will continue to visit and stay involved in the lives of all communities in Somalia.
