Somalia: Puntland President heads to Mogadishu ahead of NLF Conference

Galkaiyo, Somalia - The President of Puntland Government Abdiwali Mohamed Ali has travelled to Mogadishu on Monday morning to attend the Somali’s National Leaders Forum (NLF) Conference on the upcoming Somali election, Garowe online reports.

The leaders of Somali Federal Government and regional administration are set to gather in the capital Mogadishu for continued talks this week to conclude issues on the upcoming Somali election on end of October 2016.

Topping the agenda are technical charts and Banadir region representation in the Parliament’s Upper House are expected to dominate the talks. The NLF leaders will also discuss issues raised by the Federal Indirect Electoral Implementation Team (FIEIT) in relation to the upcoming Somali election. The NLF Conference comes less than a week before the term of Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud ends on 10th September according to the Somali Provisional Constitution.

However, President Abdiwali recently concluded an overseas trip to Ethiopia, Turkey and Djibouti for 17 consecutive days before returning to Galkaiyo on Saturday despite the recent terror attacks that Galkiayo city had witnessed in the last two weeks.  

On Arrival to Galkiayo, President Ali denounced President Hassan Shaikh through local media, calling his statement “foolishness” - responding to President Hassan Shaikh  statement during an interview in a Somali TV show that Puntland state comprises of “2 states and half”. 

President Ali denounced Somali President comments and said “Puntland state was established with 5 regions and a district and now it comprises of 9 regions,” “Clearly the President doesn’t know his country,” Ali Said.

GAROWEONLINE