Somalia: Federal States 'gang up' against Central Government

GAROWE, Puntland - The heads of the Federal States in Somalia declared on Thursday, Oct. 25 a new political party to exert more pressure on the central government in Mogadishu to deliver on his promises, Garowe Online reports.

In a joint communique released at the end of a 4-day summit in Garowe, the Council of Inter-state Cooperation [CIC] said that are establishing their own integrated forces, drawing 1,000 soldiers from each regional state to fight Al-Shabaab and ISIL affiliate.

The meeting was attended by presidents — Ahmed Madobe (Jubbaland), Ahmed Duale Geelle (Galmudug), Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden (South West State) and Abdiweli Mohamed Ali Gaas of Puntland, who hosted the conference. 

Puntland's incumbent president was appointed as the interim chairman of the new political party called "National Progressive Party" which joins numerous emerging political parties in the Horn of Africa country ahead of the 2020 election.

There was a lot of public outcry in Puntland over the appointment of Ali whose five-year term as the state president officially expires in January next year. He has been accused of corruption, incompetence and poor leadership.

The regional leaders formed the Council for the CIC last year in Kismayo city, even though the country already has the National Leaders’ Council that also includes them and President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo.

The CIC heads are now ganging up against Farmajo's administration following a dispute over decisions on issues that affect relations between regions and the central government, mainly the "sharing mechanism" of the national resources and security.

Some analysts say they are concerned that the deepening rift between the federal government and the states may plunge the country back into political crisis. 

Scroll down for the CIC Statement:

GAROWE ONLINE