Somalia at crossroads as outgoing president holds partial election talks

MOGADISHU, Somalia -  Mogadishu talks on the electoral standoff are teetering on the brink of collapse after the political stakeholders in Somalia disagreed with the process

There has been no tangible progress on the top issues related to the election due to the lack of commitment by the outgoing president Farmajo to compromise for the interest of the nation.

On Monday morning, Farmajo and his allied regional states leaders of Galmudug, HirShabelle, and Southwest together with PM Roble and Mogadishu mayor showed up at Afisyoni for a controversial meeting.

Puntland and Jubaland, as well as the council of the presidential candidates, rejected to attend the conference called by Farmajo, whose mandate ended last month amid political turmoil in the country.

In an interview with BBC Somali Service on Sunday, Puntland state president Said Abdullahi Deni said they have come to Mogadishu on the invitation by the international partners to attend a forum they organized for the country's leaders to discuss the contentious electoral issues.

Deni announced that they have seen the Villa Somalia statement calling for a meeting on March 22 on social media, a move he said was aimed to disrupt the international partners' efforts for inclusive talks.

The U.S. has warned Failure to reach a broad-based consensus on the election row in Somalia will not be accepted and would also bring political consequences that may be difficult to predict.

The newly formed Somali National Salvation Forum in an open letter to the International community said Farmajo's unilateral call for a fifth meeting is "unconstitutional" since his term expired on February 8. 

The letter obtained by Garowe Online said NSF voices alarm that Farmajo was using the security apparatus for political gain and called for a change to the security and military command before election talks.

GAROWE ONLINE