Somali opposition urges broader international role in election talks amid Turkish mediation push

MOGADISHU, Somalia – Leaders of Somalia's Future Council opposition bloc are calling for broad international involvement in efforts to resolve an escalating dispute over the country's electoral process, arguing that no single actor should oversee mediation between the opposition and the federal government, political sources said.

The appeal comes as Turkey seeks to take a leading role in facilitating talks, with Ankara's intelligence agency reportedly spearheading efforts to broker a political settlement between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's administration and opposition groups.

According to sources familiar with the matter, representatives of the international community recently held discussions with members of the Future Council, during which the opposition presented its final proposals on the electoral process, advocating a framework different from that favoured by Villa Somalia and warning that time to reach an agreement was running short.

The sources said Turkish officials believe they can persuade President Hassan Sheikh to accept a consensual electoral model and have begun discussing a roadmap aimed at winning the confidence of opposition leaders.

The opposition, however, has insisted that mediation efforts should involve the wider international community to ensure neutrality and secure a lasting agreement.

Separately, the federal government recently told international partners that it remained committed to pursuing an electoral model similar to those used in recent regional polls in Banadir and South West State, according to diplomatic sources. Critics have argued that those elections lacked broad political consensus and featured limited competition.

The dispute over Somalia's electoral framework has heightened tensions between the government and opposition groups, raising concerns among international partners over the prospects for a negotiated settlement ahead of upcoming polls.

GAROWE ONLINE