By Dalmar:
Mogadishu, Somalia –
The two-day consultation meeting between the highest-ranking government officials and former Somali leaders concluded without any tangible outcomes or official communication. The Prime Minister of Somalia, Hamza Abdi Barre, and the Speakers of the Two Houses of the Federal Parliament of Somalia, Sheikh Adan Madobe and Abdi Hashi, participated on the second day of the meeting.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had called for the meeting, inviting former leaders to engage in the country’s political process. The discussions revolved around crucial issues affecting the nation, particularly the agreements reached by the National Consultative Council. Former leaders and participating politicians provided suggestions regarding the election process. However, no concrete results, if there were any at all, were made public.
The topics addressed in the meeting included:
- The type of election the nation should hold;
- The type of governance system (a presidential system without a prime minister or the current system);
- Multi-party system structure (number of national parties);
- National Electoral Commission;
- Alignment of tenure for federal and state institutions;
- Completing the process of the Constitution review.
The consultations took place following a controversial agreement between the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) and the Federal Member States (FMS) in May. The agreement outlined an election model with two national parties, a change in term limits, the abolition of the Prime Minister’s office, and other measures. However, it should be noted that these measures were discussed without proper consultation with the public and without representation from the state of Puntland.
A three-day summit cut short
Critics argue that the just concluded two-day meeting seemingly served as a means for the government to claim that they engaged with former leaders, potentially justifying their intentions to alter the government model in Somalia.
Originally intended as a three-day summit, the consultation concluded prematurely on the second day, raising further concerns about the government’s lack of genuine interest in achieving substantial outcomes.
