Assembly/AU/3 (X) Page 6 authorities of Anjouan reacted defiantly and continued to demand the holding of an inter-Comorian Round Table as a pre-condition for possible organization of a fresh presidential election in the island. 25. The PSC has since twice extended the sanctions imposed on the illegal authorities of Anjouan, first, for an additional period of 60 days at its meeting of 26 November 2007; and then for a further period of 30 days, at its meeting of 21 January 2008, as well as the mandate of MAES. Furthermore, the PSC requested countries of the region to meet and submit any recommendations deemed appropriate on the way forward. As of the time of finalization of this Report, arrangements were already being made for the meeting to be on the fringe of the current Session of the Executive Council. a) Somalia 26. The period under review witnessed the convening of the National Reconciliation Congress (NRC), in Mogadishu, from 15 July to 30 August 2007. Over 2,600 participants took part in the Congress. However, some of the actors who could have contributed significantly to the NRC decided to stay away. The Congress concluded its deliberations with the parties agreeing on a number of issues, including the announcement of an end to the civil war and conflicts that have torn Somalia apart since 1978; the call on all Somali parties to voluntarily disarm and return looted property; the request to the Transitional Federal Institutions (TFIs) to implement all the constitutional processes provided for by the Transitional Federal Charter (TFC) that would lead to the achievement of federalism in the country; the conduct of a population census; and the holding of free and fair elections that will usher in a democratically elected government before the end of 2009. 27. The various opposition groups met in Asmara from 6 to 13 September 2007, where they held a parallel Congress. The meeting agreed on the formation of an Alliance for the Liberation and Reconstitution of Somalia, with the stated aim of liberating Somalia from “Ethiopian occupation” and launching a political process that would involve all Somali stakeholders and rebuild the Somali State. 28. The period under consideration also witnessed heightened tension within the Transitional Federal Government (TFG), with a deepening rift between President Yusuf and Prime Minister Ali Gedi over issues of transparency and accountability, as well as diverging interpretations of the TFC. This tension was eventually overcome with the resignation of Prime Minister Gedi on 29 October 2007. He has since been replaced by Nur Hassan Houssien, a former Head of the ICRC in Somalia. Subsequently, the Prime Minister hasformed a new cabinet, which was overwhelmingly endorsed by the Transitional Federal Parliament (TFP). Since his appointment, the new Prime Minister has repeatedly stressed that reconciliation would be at the core of his activities during his tenure in office. On 23 January 2008, an AU Commission delegation led by the Commissioner for Peace and Security travelled to Mogadishu for consultations with the Prime Minister. The discussions provided an opportunity to review the situation and agree on the concrete steps that need to be taken to further peace and reconciliation in Somalia. 29. While the TFG and Ethiopian forces have continued to make sustained efforts to improve security in Mogadishu, the situation in the capital remains precarious.