The United Nations has supported the decision the National Independent Electoral Commission (NIEC) took on Somalia elections.
This past weekend, NIEC announced that it would be impossible to conduct proper elections on November 2020 or February 2021 as earlier scheduled.
Somalia was set to hold its first universal suffrage elections on November 2020 followed by presidential polls in February next year.
However, that now looks impossible and NIEC, through its Chairperson Halima Ismail Ibrahim, has asked for more time.
While briefing the federal parliament, Ibrahim said the earliest the country could hold elections was March 2021 followed by the presidential polls in August 2021.
The United Nations in Somalia (UNSOM) has supported the calls by NIEC to conduct manual polls in March 2021.
UNSOM has also requested politicians, voters, and all stakeholders in Somalia to consult broadly to reach a consensus on the best solution for the country.