Somalia: Puntland Parliament commences its 40th session

GAROWE, Puntland - The Parliament of Somalia's northeastern semi-autonomous region of Puntland has commenced its 40th session following an opening event held in Garowe, the administrative capital on Wednesday, Garowe Online reports.

Puntland President Abdiweli Mohamed Ali "Gaas" has officially opened the session of the 66-seats chamber of the state Parliament giving his constitutional address to the parliamentarians after the annual break.

The speakers of the Senate and house of the people, Federal lawmakers, Senators, including former Puntland President Abdirahman Farole, Nugal governor, members of the civil society participated the opening event.

It's the first time that the leadership of the Federal Parliament attends an opening ceremony for the regional assembly, as the central government has no any running offices in the country's Federal member states.

The visit by the Senate and Lower house speakers of the house, Abdi Hashi and Mohamed Osman Jawari to Puntland comes amid growing political rift between the central government and regional administrations.

GO has learned, citing reliable sources that meeting between Puntland leaders and the parliamentary delegation from Mogadishu is underway in Garowe city over the expansion of the Federal system across the country.

The upcoming consultative forum set to open in Mogadishu on 28th October was reported to be dominating the meeting. President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo invited regional leaders this week to the conference.

The Senate has on Monday formed a committee to participate the planned Mogadishu talks aimed to defuse the political wrangle in the country which emerged after several Federal states sided with Saudi-led bloc against Qatar and the central government stayed neutral on the GCC crises.

GAROWE ONLINE