Mohamed replaces Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, who resigned on September 21 following a long-running feud withAhmed.

Ahmed has tried to reassert his authority over a brittle administration and a disillusioned nation that has suffered years of war.

"My first priority is security, and performing my duties for the Somali people,"Mohamed told theReuters news agency.

"We have to deal with the insurgents who are behind the meaningless bloodshed in Somalia, either by fighting them or by reconciling with them, if they are ready for that," said the 48-year-old Mohamed, a Somali-American who was formerly a diplomat at the Somali embassy in Washington DC.

The vote puts an end to a bitter disputebetween Ahmed and Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, the parliament speaker and thesecond most powerful politician in Somalia.

Althoughthedisagreement was ostensibly over whether the vote should be a secret ballot or a show of hands as desired by the president,it was saidthat there was really a power struggle play between the two politicians and the blocs that they represent.

According to analysts,Aden has indirect support from neighbouring Ethiopia while Ahmed has the backing of religious groups within Somalia.The two are said to be battling for influence within cabinet.

Fresh perspective

Mohamed will be asked to name a cabinet within one month.

Mark Bowden, a UN official with oversight of Somalia, said Mohamed's cabinet is expected to be smaller than the bloatedteam that Sharmarke presided over.

Among officials in Sharmarke's cabinet was a minister of tourism, eventhough the violence-ridden country sees only a handful of tourists each year.

Afyare Abdi Elmi, a political science professor at Qatar University, said that he hoped Mohamed's background in the Somali diaspora and his relatively young age would help re-energise the government by offering a fresh perspective.

"He stands a very good chance to have a positive impact. He is not carrying any political baggage," Elmi said.

Source: Aljazeera.net