MOGADISHU – Somalia’s outgoing President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday responded to an appeal by former President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo for a final round of talks aimed at resolving the country’s escalating political deadlock over delayed elections and the extension of the president’s mandate, which expired on May 15.
Speaking at a joint press conference alongside former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed earlier on Sunday, Farmajo urged President Hassan Sheikh to give dialogue one more chance and proposed a meeting at his residence involving the three leaders to discuss a path forward during the country’s current transition period.
President Hassan Sheikh later accepted the proposal for dialogue but insisted that any talks be held at Villa Somalia rather than at Farmajo’s residence, as the former president had suggested. The exchange comes amid one of the most serious political crises Somalia has faced in recent years.
Farmajo’s Warning on Fragmentation
During the joint press conference, Farmajo sharply criticized President Hassan Sheikh’s leadership, accusing him of failing in his responsibilities and of deploying state security forces against former national leaders, including Sharif Sheikh Ahmed. He argued that the security institutions now being used against political rivals were among those rebuilt through the efforts of previous administrations.
Farmajo also warned that Somalia was facing an accelerating process of fragmentation, arguing that developments involving Somaliland, alongside growing tensions with the Jubaland and Puntland regional administrations, underscored the urgency of reaching a national political settlement. He said the country had reached a critical moment and called for immediate action to preserve the unity and stability of the Somali Republic.
Farmajo had previously issued a stark warning that President Hassan Sheikh’s unilateral signing of a new constitution heightens governance challenges and directly threatens the unity of the Somali people, noting that strong opposition from regional states, diverse legislators, and former national leaders demonstrates that the initiative lacks the popular support and political consensus required for constitutional legitimacy.
Opposition Leaders’ Stance
Former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed has strongly criticized the federal government’s handling of politics, security, constitutional amendments, and elections. He has accused the government of creating divisions and undermining democratic processes, specifically denouncing amendments to the Constitution which he claimed have deepened rifts between the federal government and member states. He emphasized that the Somali people should achieve constitutional changes through broad consensus.
Failed International Mediation
The latest call for dialogue follows the collapse last month of negotiations between President Hassan Sheikh and opposition leaders led by former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, accompanied by Puntland president Saeed Abdullahi Deni. Those talks were held at the heavily fortified Halane compound in Mogadishu, home to numerous Western diplomatic and security missions. The negotiations were facilitated by American and British diplomats but ended without a breakthrough, leaving major disagreements between the government and opposition unresolved.
A coalition of Western embassies and the United Nations mission in Somalia released a joint statement urging all Somali political leaders to return to negotiations and quickly establish an electoral plan, as the nation’s most severe political impasse in years showed no clear path to resolution. The statement emphasized that all parties should immediately resume dialogue and quickly agree on an electoral roadmap for the benefit of the Somali people.
Constitutional Amendments and Mandate Extension
The federal parliament passed amendments extending presidential and parliamentary terms from four to five years, delaying elections until 2027. President Mohamud’s efforts to amend the provisional constitution, create a new electoral framework, and reconfigure the federal map have been interpreted as an attempt to consolidate executive authority and prolong his tenure. This approach has intensified rifts between the central government and key federal member states, particularly Puntland and Jubaland.
Turkey’s Mediation Role
A renewed mediation effort is reportedly being facilitated by Turkey as authorities attempt to ease political tensions that have recently fueled security unrest in the capital. According to sources, the government maintained during discussions that direct elections based on a one-person, one-vote system remain its preferred option, while signaling openness to negotiations on a limited number of issues related to Somalia’s federal structure. The government has not publicly commented on the latest mediation proposals, and it remains unclear whether opposition groups will accept the initiative.
Way Forward for Somali-Led Dialogue
While questions remain over why international mediation was unable to bridge the divide between the two sides, Farmajo argued that Somalia’s leaders should make every effort to resolve the crisis through direct engagement among themselves. He maintained that a Somali-led agreement would best serve the country’s interests and international standing, while acknowledging that external involvement could ultimately become necessary if domestic efforts fail to produce a solution.
The proposed meeting, if it takes place, would mark the first direct political engagement between President Hassan Sheikh and the opposition leadership since the collapse of the Halane talks and could represent a final opportunity to break the impasse that has dominated Somalia’s political landscape in recent weeks.
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