Somalia leaders reach agreement on finance system and security

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The National Consultative Council [NCC] under your stewardship of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has agreed on various issues among them national security and federal fiscal principles in what would reduce friction between Mogadishu and all states over sharing of resources.

On Friday, the conference in Baidoa ended as the leaders issued a communique on some of the issues agreed upon. Present were Ali Gudlawe, Ahmed QoorQoor, Abdiaziz Lafta-Gareen, Ahmed Madobe, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, and Mogadishu Mayor Yusuf Hussein Jimale.

In a statement, the leaders agreed to create National Revenue Authority and Appropriation and Revenue Mobilization Commission, a swing from the past when the states and the central government collect money independently. Also agreed were the national security structures and universal suffrage polls in subsequent elections.

The federal government and member states resolved on setting the tax policy but did not provide further details on the agreement. Regional states, the communique reads, should finalize the establishment of administrations in recently liberated areas for smooth decentralization of government services.

Also, the NCC lauded the Somali National Army [SNA] following a successful phase in the elimination of Al-Shabaab which saw hundreds of militants die and thousands sustain injuries. The government is set to launch the second phase in due course, the statement elaborated.

As a good gesture, the leaders agreed to dispatch Lafta-Gareen, QoorQoor, and Gudlawe to Puntland to persuade Said Abdullahi Deni to be part of state-building efforts.

Deni had boycotted the meeting without providing the reasons. He was accused of crafting a strategy to extend his term which is due in 10 months by dictating and hijacking the process of the local council elections which the opposition boycotted due to the lack of transparency.

In a statement released on January 9, Puntland announced that it is "now acting as an independent government," after Deni rejected to sign points in the NCC deal.

On Somaliland, the council urged both the government in Hargeisa and SSC-Khatumo forces to embrace a ceasefire and subsequent talks to avert further deaths. A number of Sool region residents are pushing to be administered from Mogadishu instead of Hargeisa.

GAROWE ONLINE