MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s prime minister says he is resigning to prevent political turmoil.
Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke spoke to reporters in Mogadishu on Tuesday alongside Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, who thanked the prime minister for what he called a “courageous decision.”
The resignation comes amid a rift between Sharmarke and Ahmed over a new draft constitution. The two have not gotten along for months. A vote of confidence on the prime minister had been scheduled over the weekend but it was postponed.
The resignation won’t have much practical effect on Somalia’s weak government, which controls only a few blocks of Mogadishu. Somalia has not had an effective government for 19 years.