UN envoy for Somalia has expressed concern over the current problems regarding the administration of Mogadishu, the Somali capital.

In a statement issued in Nairobi, Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN Special Representative for Somalia, called on all Somalis to work together for peace and reconciliation in their country.

"The authorities should remain focused on peace and I hope to see them shortly. I call on the President, the Speaker, the Prime Minister, and all members of the Parliament to move forward. I also call on the (opposition) ARS (Alliance for the Re-liberation of Somalia) to continue to encourage reconciliation," Ould-Abdallah said.

The UN envoy's statement came a day after Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf reportedly reinstated Mogadishu Mayor Mohamed Dheere, who was fired last Wednesday by Prime Minister Nur Hussein over the alleged misuse of public funds and worsening insecurity in the capital.

But Dheere has said he was happy to quit only after his sacking had been endorsed by President Yusuf.

"As the end of the transition period is less than a year away, I call on the Somali people to remain united and solve their political problems."

Ould-Abdallah said it was unfortunate that this situation came at a time when the parties which signed the Djibouti Agreement have just submitted the names of their participants in the two key committees.

He added that the Joint Security Committee, which is tasked to follow up on the implementation of security arrangements, and the High Level Committee, which will deal with political cooperation, justice and reconciliation, will be holding separately meetings shortly.

The Horn of Africa nation has been rocked by violence with insurgents launching near-daily attacks on the transitional administration backed by Ethiopian troops. Somalia has not had a functioning central government since 1991.

SG/HAR