Nominated members to the TNA are still being sworn in at the Djibouti-hosted Somali National Peace Talks, held in Arta, about 30 km from Djibouti city. Many of the nominated members are from the huge Somali diaspora, and have been called to Djibouti, sources close to the conference said. The first task of the assembly is to begin drawing up an agenda and deal with the process of electing its officers, TNA member Hussein Iman told IRIN from Djibouti. Once this process has been completed, the TNA will tackle the election of a president.
Disputes continue over the clan-based allocation of seats.
The RRA control the Bay and Bakool region, including Baidoa, chosen by the conference as the temporary capital for the newly-elected transitional authority. Deroow was also willing to negotiate power-sharing with another main clan, the Hawiye, diplomatic sources said. The inauguration of a new Somali parliament has had a favourable effect on the rate of the shilling in Mogadishu. On Sunday, when the newly elected Transitional National Assembly was sworn in, the dollar opened at 9,600 shillings and it closed at the end of the day at 8,200 shillings. According to Professor Abukar, the exchange rate in Mogadishu is determined mainly by supply and demand but has recently been affected by the progress of peace talks in Djibouti.