Somalia’s regional neighbours Kenya and Uganda have joined international partners in endorsing the Horn of Africa country’s latest timeline to complete parliamentary polls by February 25.
And the countries, in a joint statement, said they hoped the new timelines could stick, especially since they were the outcome of broad consultations with stakeholders in Mogadishu.
The statement, also endorsed by the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the United Nations, the European Union and other countries, said the country’s leaders must now ensure the timelines are matched with credible elections.
“We are pleased that the prime minister and the Federal Member State leaders made decisions on the basis of consultations with civil society, women representatives and opposition figures,” they said in a statement also endorsed by Egypt, Japan, the League of Arab States (LAS), Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
“It is time for all Somali leaders to focus on the rapid implementation of agreed decisions so that a credible electoral process can be concluded by 25 February.”
