Naming of Somali caretaker cabinet delayed

Nairobi- Kenya (PANA) -- The naming of the 31-member Somali cabinet earlier billed for Tuesday, as announced last week by interim President Abdullahi Yusuf has been put on hold, sources affirmed here.
Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Mohammed Ghedi had been expected to announce the national unity government here Tuesday evening.
A presidential spokesman said the President was pursuing consultations with key Somali peace talks mediators with a view to naming of the new cabinet here, which is expected to relocate to Mogadishu early January.
Last week, Yusuf assured Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki that he will name Somalia's post-war cabinet before the end of the month.
The delay came as UN under-secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland prepared to launch an appeal for 164 million US dollars to help revive some 93 projects vital to Somali communities suffering from three years of draught.
Somalia has not had a central authority since the collapse of the regime of Siad Barre in 1991.
Meanwhile, the African Union, which has been discussing the requirements for disarming more than 55,000 militias still operating in various parts of Somalia, said President Yusuf must sign a ceasefire agreement with the militias before a peacekeeping mission is sent there.