NAIROBI — Members of the Somali Future Council met with representatives of the international community in Nairobi this week to discuss Somalia’s political situation, with a particular focus on constitutional and electoral challenges facing the country.
The Somali Future Council brings together the Puntland and Jubbaland regional administrations, the National Consultative Forum, members of the Somali parliament, and independent political figures. The meeting was attended by diplomats and representatives from the United Nations, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as other officials closely following Somali political developments.
According to participants, discussions centered on the current political phase in Somalia, described as sensitive and critical, and the need to reach urgent and inclusive solutions to ongoing disputes over the constitution and the electoral process.
The talks come amid plans by the Federal Government of Somalia to convene a major national conference aimed at addressing the country’s political situation. However, the National Consultative Forum has set several conditions for participating in the proposed conference, highlighting continuing disagreements between federal authorities and opposition-aligned groups.
Observers say the Nairobi meeting reflects growing international engagement in Somalia’s political dialogue at a time when consensus among Somali stakeholders remains fragile.
Council Sets Conditions for Mogadishu Conference
The Somali Future Council has outlined a set of conditions ahead of the planned Mogadishu conference, calling on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to take concrete steps to ensure the talks are conducted in an atmosphere of trust and goodwill.
In a statement, the Council stressed that the success of the conference depends on creating conditions that encourage constructive dialogue and meaningful outcomes. Chief among its demands is a complete halt to “any changes to the 2012 Interim Federal Constitution“.
The Council also emphasized that discussions at the conference should focus on issues it described as the country’s most pressing priorities. These include national security, particularly the fight against terrorist groups Al-Shabaab and ISIS, and the need to reach a consensus on an electoral process for future Federal Government elections.
Other key agenda items proposed by the Council include strengthening national unity and solidarity, as well as addressing the ongoing drought affecting large parts of Somalia.
According to the statement, the Somali Future Council’s Technical Committee is responsible for preparing the conference from a technical standpoint. The committee is led by Member of Parliament Abdullahi Abuukar Haaji, also known as Abdullahi Arab.
The Mogadishu conference is expected to bring together political stakeholders amid ongoing debates over constitutional reform, security challenges, and governance in Somalia.
