Press Release 66/2012

(Mogadishu, August 1, 2012) The delegates of the National Constituent Assembly finalized today the constitution-making process, adopting a new provisional constitution which marks a great milestone that brings the transitional period to an end in three weeks now. The delegates adopted the new constitution with a landslide vote, where 96 percent out of 645 delegates voted in favor of the new constitution with only 2% voting against it.

The Prime Minister Abdiweli Mohamed Ali called the ratification of the new constitution an important milestone that officially completes the activities of the Roadmap Agreement which ends the transitional period. “For one year, our effort to pass a new constitution is realized today through your hard work and patriotism when you acted responsibly to endorse the draft constitution” said Prime Minister Ali.

The new constitution offers more fundamental rights and protection according to a study by the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) which recently surveyed the constitutions of 25 countries. With more fundamental rights in place, the new constitution ranks Somalia in the top 5 countries that guarantees 36 of the 45 fundamental rights. The rights enshrined in the constitution makes Somalia the top 10 of countries in the Organization of the Islamic Conference, (OIC).

The next step will be the selection of members for the new parliament, who will then select the parliament speaker before a new president is inaugurated with a transparent and accountable government for the country.