Somalia President Calls for Meeting, Falling Short of Expectations

MOGADISHU, Somalia – On Friday, the Presidential Palace of Somalia announced that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has extended an invitation to the country’s regional leaders to participate in the upcoming National Consultative Forum. The forum is scheduled to take place from May 1st to 2nd, following the failed summit held in October 2024, which ended without significant results.

The President specifically reached out to the leaders of Galmudug, HirShabeelle, and South West, who are seen as some of the closest regional heads to the federal government. Reports also indicate that an invitation was sent to Puntland, though Jubaland has notably been excluded from the invitation list.

The National Consultative Forum, which serves as a platform for dialogue between the Somali federal government and regional administrations, has failed to deliver positive outcomes since President Hassan Sheikh’s election in 2022. The most recent forum in October 2024 ended in a deadlock, as some regional leaders rejected proposed constitutional changes and the formation of an electoral commission.

The new forum announced by President Hassan Sheikh has tempered expectations, as it does not align with the broader international call for a more inclusive "National Consultation" that would bring together federal government representatives, regional states, political stakeholders, and civil society.

The international community had previously urged that such a gathering should include all relevant actors in Somalia’s political landscape, to address key issues such as national politics, constitutional reform, and electoral processes.

International representatives, who met with President Hassan Sheikh following his return from a trip to Turkey last month, have expressed disappointment at the limited scope of the upcoming meeting. They have called for a comprehensive dialogue involving all political and societal actors to achieve unified decisions that would help combat the ongoing threat posed by the al-Shabaab militant group, which remains a serious threat to national security.

Despite the setbacks in previous forums, the international community has continued to push for broader, more inclusive negotiations in hopes of securing peace and stability in Somalia, particularly in the face of escalating insecurity in parts of the country.

GAROWE ONLINE