Mogadishu, Dec 25 (IANS): Somalia's new Prime Minister, Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, took over office from his predecessor Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed in a ceremony held Thursday.

Ahmed congratulated Sharmarke and requested that the parliament and the president work with Sharmarke in order to achieve his constitutional duties, Xinhua reported.

"I am very pleased that I am handing over the office to new Prime Minister Sharmarke. I request that both sides, those that supported me and those that supported the president, to support the new PM and unite for the interest of the country," said the former prime minster.

"It was a great time and we have achieved so much and the new PM will finish the remaining activities in order to make the country reach the Vision 2016," he added.

Sharmarke thanked the former prime minister for his efforts to restore law and order in the country and expel Al Shabaab militants from the entire south and central regions of Somalia.

"I am very pleased to take the office as the Somali PM the second time in six years. I thank the former prime minister and his cabinet for their invaluable service during their term," Sharmarke said.

"I will give priority to political stability, security, and reform of the national institutions," he added.

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who witnessed the handover, praised the former prime minister for his legacy to form federal administrations and reconciliation, and he requested the incoming prime minister to come up with a capable cabinet and programme that can lead the country to reach the Vision 2016 programme.

The new prime minister was approved Dec 17 by the parliament, but he is still waiting to take his expected cabinet to the parliament for approval.

Although the parliament approved the prime miniater, the members are highly divided over the expected cabinet, of which the pro-president members want the president's allies to be in the list, while the supporters of the former prime minister -- about 80 lawmakers -- want all the former cabinet members not to be included in the new list.