Saturday February 13, 2021
MOGADISHU (HOL) - The International Community has called on Somali leaders to set out a short election timeline to allow the country to finish up the exercise in light of several missed deadlines.
While welcoming the February 15 election talks, the UN and other foreign missions in the country said the Federal and State leaders should waste no time in settling the long-running election stalemate that has seen elections delayed three times.
“We urge the Federal Government and Federal Member State leaders, in a constructive spirit, to resolve the small number of issues outstanding from the Dhusamareb talks and agree to a short election timeline necessary to implement the 17 September Agreement,” a joint statement released Saturday read in part.
“We believe it is vital that the discussions initiated in Dhusamareb be brought quickly to a successful conclusion in this next round of dialogue.”
President Mohamed Farmaajo announced last week the resumption of the talks following pressure from the international community including the UN Security Council.
The fourth round of talks in Dhusamareb early this month yielded no agreement after the Federal Government and a section of Federal Member States leaders failed to agree on some of the contentious issues.
There is however no agreement on the venue after Jubbaland and Puntland dismissed Farmaajo’s decision to hold them in Garowe. The two allies said the meeting should be held in the capital Mogadishu.