Thursday March 16, 2023
Baidoa (HOL) - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud opened the National Consultative Council meeting on Thursday in Baidoa.
Federal and regional state leaders attended the meeting, including Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre, his deputy Salah Jama, and the presidents of the states of South West, Hirshabelle, Jubbaland, Galmudug, and Banadir region, namely Abdiazis Hassan Mohamed, Ali Gudlawe Hussein, Ahmed Mohamed Islam, Ahmed Abdi Kariye, and Yusuf Hussein Jim'ale, respectively.
However, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni is not attending the conference. In a statement released on January 9, Puntland announced that it is "now acting as an independent government," accusing the federal government of attempting to restore a centralized federal government.
During the meeting, the leaders discuss the structure of national security, particularly the ongoing anti-al Shabab offensive, and the federalization process of finance and elections at the federal and regional levels.
This marks the fifth National Consultative Council meeting since President Mohamud was elected on May 15, 2022.