Executive branch:
chief of state: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan (since 26 August 2000);
note - as of December 2002, there was no executive branch in
southern Somalia; Interim President ABDIKASSIM was chosen for a
three-year term by a 245-member National Assembly serving as a
transitional government but has little power and was due to leave
office in August 2003; the political situation, particularly in the
south, with interclan fighting and random banditry, remains fluid
election results: ABDIKASSIM Salad Hassan was elected president of
an interim government at the Djibouti-sponsored Arta Peace
Conference on 26 August 2000 by a broad representation of Somali
clans that comprised a transitional National Assembly
head of government: Prime Minister HASSAN Abshir Farah (since 12
November 2001)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister and sworn in on 20
October 2000; as of 1 January 2002, the Cabinet was in caretaker
status following a no-confidence vote in October 2001 that ousted
HASSAN's predecessor
Legislative branch:
unicameral National Assembly
note: fledgling parliament; a transitional 245-member National
Assembly began to meet on 13 August 2000 in the town of Arta,
Djibouti and is now based in Mogadishu
Judicial branch:
following the breakdown of national government, most regions have
reverted to either Islamic (Shari'a) law with a provision for appeal
of all sentences, or traditional clan-based arbitration
Political parties and leaders:
none
Political pressure groups and leaders:
numerous clan and subclan factions are currently vying for power
International organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IGAD, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM
(observer), ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,
UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US:
Somalia does not have an embassy in the US (ceased operations on 8
May 1991); note - the TNG and other factions have representatives in
Washington and at the United Nations
Diplomatic representation from the US: the US does not have an embassy in Somalia; US interests are represented by the US Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya at Mombasa Road; mailing address: P. O. Box 30137, Unit 64100, Nairobi; APO AE 09831; telephone: [254] (2) 537800; FAX [254] (2) 537810
Flag description:
light blue with a large white five-pointed star in the center; blue
field influenced by the flag of the UN
Government - note:
although an interim government was created in 2000 other governing
bodies continue to exist and control various cities and regions of
the country, including Somaliland, Puntland, and traditional clan
and faction strongholds