Wednesday July 12, 2023
Mogadishu (HOL) - A high-level consultation meeting is set to commence in Mogadishu on Wednesday, bringing together former Somali Presidents, Prime Ministers, and other senior politicians to discuss the country's recent political developments and counterterrorism operations. Former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo did not arrive in Mogadishu, and sources indicate he may participate in the meeting via Zoom.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud invited the leaders and will preside over the meeting. According to Somali National Television (SNTV), President Mohamud will listen to the leaders' concerns regarding to the current state-building efforts, security, the eradication of al-Shabab, constitutional revisions, democratization, and elections.
However, political analysts believe that one of the critical topics in the meeting will be the recent political agreements reached by the four regional state Presidents and federal government leaders to reshape Somalia's political framework. This agreement has faced opposition from former government leaders.
The National Consultative Council, comprising federal leaders, four regional leaders, and the mayor of Mogadishu, agreed to introduce direct elections as early as next year. They also unified the election schedules and endorsed establishing a presidential system for the country.
The leaders agreed that one-person-one-vote elections would take place once every five years. The local council elections will be the first to take place on June 30 of next year, followed by regional parliamentary and leadership elections on November 30. Additionally, the leaders agreed that only two political parties would compete for power, while the current political parties law does not impose any limit on the number of parties.
In May, former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Ministers Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, Hassan Ali Kheire, and Abdiwali Ali Gaas, along with other political figures, expressed concerns about the decisions made by the NCC, warning that they could potentially threaten the unity of Somalia.
However, former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo expressed his support for the decisions of the National Consultative Council, particularly regarding the country's elections. In a statement on Facebook, Farmaajo welcomed the electoral agreement, which establishes a one-person-one-vote system and ensures the direct election of a president and vice president.
Despite facing opposition from senior political figures in the country, the Somali Council of Ministers endorsed the political agreement reached by the National Consultative Council in Mogadishu.