By HAN News Desk
MOGADISHU — The Federal Government of Somalia has accused opposition figures of derailing ongoing political negotiations in Mogadishu after withdrawing from what officials said was a previously agreed agenda, deepening a stalemate over elections and constitutional reforms.
In a statement released Tuesday, government officials said that since announcing a national consultation platform in March 2025, authorities had engaged former leaders, politicians, academics and civil society representatives to collect views on state-building and democratization.
The government reiterated that Somalia’s “fateful issues” can only be resolved through dialogue and consensus rooted in the country’s Provisional Constitution and national laws. It also emphasized the importance of all political stakeholders in discussions on elections and federal stability.
According to the statement, preliminary consultations had agreed to focus on three main issues: establishing a committee to advise on federal elections, holding state-level elections, and convening a second meeting in April 2026 to advance the federal electoral process.
However, officials said that on the first day of formal negotiations, some members of the opposition-aligned Somali Future Council introduced new proposals that had not been previously agreed upon and which the government said lacked constitutional or legal basis.
Among the proposals, the government said, was a demand that opposition groups be given direct advisory authority over the administration of elections in Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Southwest states.
Opposition leaders have consistently called for indirect elections in the three states, similar to processes recently held in Puntland and Jubbaland. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has advocated a transition toward a one-person, one-vote electoral system and has maintained that the management of state elections falls under the jurisdiction of respective state leadership structures.
The federal government said it had shown patience and flexibility in an effort to preserve the agreed framework of discussions, but described the opposition’s subsequent public statement as a breach of procedural understandings.
Despite the breakdown in talks, officials said the door remains open for further dialogue.
“The Federal Government of Somalia reiterates that negotiations remain open to anyone prepared to engage in constitutional dialogue,” the statement said, adding that authorities remain committed to an electoral process aligned with the constitution and reflective of the Somali people’s will.
Following the collapse of the talks, the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia and other international partners met Monday with senior representatives from both the federal government and the Somali Future Council.
UNTMIS said it was disappointed that the sides had not reached an agreement in discussions held so far, but welcomed their stated commitment to continue efforts toward a constructive resolution and urged renewed engagement.
