A consultative conference in Kismayo, Somalia has issued a comprehensive communiqué addressing growing political divisions and warning of parallel political processes unless an inclusive national conference is called by a specified deadline.
The three-day gathering, held from December 18 to December 20, united leaders from Puntland and Jubbaland, opposition representatives, independent politicians, and Federal Parliament members. Attendees examined Somalia’s political trajectory, security conditions, electoral processes, and constitutional framework.
The conference’s final statement strongly criticized the Federal Government, citing unilateral decision-making and failure to uphold national consensus, with warnings that such practices could destabilize Somalia’s federal system.
The communiqué reaffirmed the 2012 Provisional Constitution as the exclusive legal foundation of Somalia’s statehood, rejecting any attempts to circumvent constitutional procedures without broad political consensus.
Electoral matters dominated the discussions. The conference opposed electoral processes confined to a single region, including Benadir, and advocated for a nationally inclusive consensus-based framework.
The statement explicitly rejected any extensions of constitutional mandates, emphasizing that the Federal Parliament term concludes on April 14, 2026, and the presidential term ends on May 15, 2026. The conference warned that term extensions would generate political instability, constitutional vacuums, and potential security hazards.
The communiqué established January 20, 2026, as a deadline for President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to convene an inclusive national conference with all Somali political stakeholders to resolve electoral and constitutional disagreements. Failure to meet this deadline would result in ongoing independent consultative processes outside the federal framework.
Regarding security, the conference reiterated support for operations against Al-Shabaab and ISIS while cautioning against the politicization of security institutions, emphasizing civilian protection, human rights, and institutional neutrality.
The communiqué encouraged international partners to coordinate their engagement with constitutional governance, inclusive dialogue, and long-term stability, warning that Somalia could enter a new phase with competing political tracks if consensus is not restored.
