A new Somalia?

“Things can and are changing in Somalia.” At least that’s what was said this week in response to an historic agreement signed between a rebel group and the country's government. The peace agreement between the government and the Ahlu Sunnah group was signed Monday night at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, according to published news reports.

“The agreement with Ahlu Sunnah is a historic success for the Somali people and it is a further positive step for the full return of Somalia's nationhood," President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed said. Ahlu Sunnah is a large, moderate Sunni-based religious movement influenced by Sufi Islam that has been fighting extremists from such militant groups as Al-Shabaab for about a year.

“We preach peace and harmony among all nations and races of the world, but recently new and violent Islamist groups have surfaced in our country,” said Ahlu Sunnah's spiritual leader, Sheikh Mohamud Sheikh Hassan. “We have united with the Somali government and fight against these violent groups together and this is not a fight or a struggle against people, it is against ideology.”

Somalia has not had a stable government for nearly 20 years. As a result of its civil war, hundreds of thousands have been killed and millions more have been displaced.

Indeed it is time for change.