President, PM differ on Puntland absence at HLPF

MOGADISHU, Somalia-President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke have clashed on whether the northeastern State of Puntland was represented in the sixth Somali Compact High-Level Partnership Forum in the Turkish city of Istanbul, Garowe Online reports.

Mohamud said, Puntland didn’t attend the conference, expressing his dismay on political matters surrounding the absence.

Earlier on Feb. 24, Prime Minister Sharmarke rejected reports swirled in Somali media, and said Puntland ministers were present on behalf of President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali who switched schedule to a trip to the US in a sign for disputes brewing between Mogadishu and Garowe over the newly adopted electoral proposal.

Mohamud claimed that they tried to overcome differences and persuade Puntland to join other Federal Member States and federal leadership for the High Level Partnership Forum.

Continuing, he denied that Istanbul conference touched upon 2016 electoral transition while communiqué discusses the nature of elections into which Somalia heads later this year.

“At first, Puntland is not absent; it’s here in the conference. It is being represented by a minister, the President skipped for a justifiable reason that we have heeded,” Sharmarke said in an interview with Somali Cable TV.

Prime Minister Sharmarke acknowledged that the Somali Compact Forum looks into ways in which newly adopted electoral process of 4.5 could be implemented, refusing that Istanbul forum sought funds for the controversial model.

Mohamud insisted that he will travel to Puntland as part of efforts to bring Puntland back into the power representation for 2016 elections.

Before jetting off to Washington, Ali’s office gave a vitriolic reaction to Istanbul Forum, disclosing that Puntland will only attend plenary session of Business and Investment.

“We note the absence of Puntland from this Forum, and urge the Federal Government and regional authorities to make every effort to ensure that the government and people of Puntland are fully on board in order to allow for the 2016 electoral process to be as inclusive as possible,” read a communiqué issued in Istanbul.

Puntland has strongly contested inclusiveness of election proposal endorsed by international community in a move responded with regional tour by a delegation led by top UN diplomat in the country, Ambassador Michael Keating.

GAROWEONLINE