In a rebuke to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s recent political maneuvering, the international community issued a joint statement today demanding that Somalia’s upcoming national dialogue address not only the intensifying war against Al-Shabab, but also the country’s long-ignored constitutional and electoral crises. The message was clear: international support hinges on “quick, decisive action” on all fronts—not just the military campaign.
The statement, released by a broad coalition of Somalia’s international partners, welcomed the president’s proposal for a national platform but firmly expanded its scope beyond the battlefield. The list of signatories, ranging from regional heavyweights like Kenya, Egypt, and the African Union to Western allies such as the United States, European Union members, and the United Nations, underscores the growing global impatience with Mogadishu’s recent political trajectory.
At the heart of the rebuke lies a two-year trend of increasing centralization by President Hassan Sheikh, marked by controversial constitutional amendments passed unilaterally in March 2024, the sidelining of federal member states (FMS), and failed attempts to militarily impose political outcomes—most notably in Jubaland. Now, with Al-Shabab encircling Mogadishu and federal legitimacy at its weakest since the collapse of the transitional government era, the international community is signaling that it will no longer underwrite an exclusionary and ineffective governance approach.
The Joint Statement
The joint press statement, released today, on April 7, 2025, praised the president’s call for a national platform but subtly redefined its purpose. While Hassan Sheikh’s original framing, presented during his Eid-al-Fitr address on March 29, focused almost exclusively on uniting against Al-Shabab, the international partners pushed for a more expansive agenda:
“A unified and inclusive strategy is indispensable to achieving success against Al-Shabaab and advancing Somalia’s state-building priorities,” the statement read. “Quick, decisive action by Somali leaders, including on critical national political, constitutional and electoral matters, would enable further support by partners.”
This clause stands as a carefully worded ultimatum. Continued international backing is no longer unconditional. The statement suggests a transactional pivot: Somalia will receive sustained assistance only if it begins addressing the democratic backsliding of the past two years.
It is a message that reflects mounting frustration. After years of political paralysis, growing authoritarian tendencies, and repeated failures to fulfill reform benchmarks, Somalia’s partners are signaling that they are no longer willing to accept security rhetoric as a substitute for inclusive governance.
The roots of the current standoff trace back to March 31, 2024, when the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS), under Hassan Sheikh’s leadership, passed a controversial new Constitution without consensus from key political stakeholders, most notably Puntland and Jubaland.
The Constitution, presented as a long-overdue measure to formalize Somalia’s governing framework, was enacted amid accusations of a lack of consultation, bypassing of parliamentary procedures, and overt efforts to centralize authority in Mogadishu. Puntland immediately withdrew recognition of the FGS, calling the new charter illegitimate. Jubaland followed suit months later, but for different reasons—after FGS forces launched a failed military campaign aimed at unseating President Ahmed Madobe in Kismayo.
These moves turned the already fragile federal structure into an outright fragmented one. Today, Somalia is effectively governed in parts: Mogadishu and the immediate surroundings remain under the central government’s control; Puntland and Jubaland operate autonomously and refuse coordination with the FGS; and vast swathes of rural areas in Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and Southwest remain contested by Al-Shabab.
Instead of attempting reconciliation, President Hassan Sheikh doubled down on exclusion. He coined the phrase “Loo Joojin Maayo”—“Not Stopping for Anyone”—to signify his government’s resolve to press ahead with its agenda regardless of opposition. That slogan, once hailed by his supporters as a declaration of bold leadership, has now become emblematic of political hubris. A year later, Somalia is more divided, Al-Shabab is resurgent, and international patience has run thin.
The War on Al-Shabab
The president’s initial justification for sidelining federal states was rooted in national security. He argued that only a centralized strategy could effectively combat Al-Shabab. However, the war effort has yielded diminishing returns.
Initial optimism following military gains in 2022 and early 2023 has evaporated. Al-Shabab has adapted its strategy, launching guerrilla offensives, ambushing supply routes, and re-establishing control in Middle and Lower Shabelle. Most alarmingly, the group is now encircling Mogadishu, cutting off key logistical arteries and destabilizing towns just kilometers from the capital.
The Somali National Army (SNA), stretched thin and plagued by low morale, has proven unable to stop the momentum. Efforts to replace professional security forces with clan-based militias have yielded mixed results at best and have further eroded public trust. In recent months, entire militias have disbanded mid-battle, citing lack of pay and support.
Despite this grim picture, Hassan Sheikh continued to frame the upcoming national conference as a moment to rally unity around the military campaign. His Eid-al-Fitr address made no mention of political reconciliation, federalism, or electoral reform. That omission, more than anything, triggered today’s international response.
