A high-level meeting between Somalia’s government and opposition leaders was held in Mogadishu on Wednesday in an effort to address ongoing disputes over elections, constitutional amendments, and the country’s broader political future, according to sources familiar with the talks.
The discussions, which were reportedly organized with support from international partners, brought together senior figures from both sides amid rising political tensions in the country.
The government delegation was led by Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, while the opposition-aligned Somalia Future Council was represented by former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and the Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni.
Journalists were not allowed to enter the venue where the meeting was held or take photographs during the talks, according to attendees and media sources. Sources who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the meeting said representatives from the international community opened the talks by encouraging Somali leaders to resolve their differences through dialogue, while stressing that they would not directly intervene in determining the agenda or outcomes.
The discussions later focused on several contentious issues, including the mandate of federal institutions, electoral processes at both federal and regional levels, and constitutional amendments approved by the federal government. According to the sources, President Hassan Sheikh and Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama defended the government’s electoral roadmap, saying discussions should center on federal elections rather than regional state polls.
They reiterated the government’s commitment to implementing a one-person, one-vote electoral system and indicated openness to possible technical adjustments, including issues related to electoral committees. The federal delegation also defended the constitutional amendments, arguing that the changes were legally approved by Somalia’s parliament.
On the opposition side, Puntland President Said Deni reportedly called for a return to the 2012 provisional constitution, criticizing the legal process and procedures used to adopt the recent amendments, which he said lacked broad political consensus.
Former President Sheikh Sharif focused largely on electoral matters, proposing a suspension of all election-related activities at both regional and federal levels until a broader political agreement is reached. He also reportedly called for the establishment of a consensus-based administration to guide the country toward inclusive elections.
Sources said the discussions became increasingly tense, with both sides struggling to bridge key differences and the meeting at one point nearing collapse.
International representatives later intervened and proposed extending the talks into another day while establishing technical committees to continue discussions on disputed issues.
The parties subsequently agreed to reconvene on Thursday and to form technical committees, although no official announcement has yet been made regarding their composition. Neither side has so far publicly commented on the details or outcome of the talks.
HBN News Desk