Somalia: Puntland State, Jubbaland boycott Turkey-brokered Mogadishu talks over neutrality concerns
MOGADISHU, July 7 – Puntland State and Jubbaland have refused to attend meetings led by Turkish intelligence officials in Mogadishu, casting doubt on Ankara’s neutrality amid Somalia’s intensifying political standoff, informed sources said Tuesday.
The two federal member states contend that Turkey is not an unbiased broker in talks on core political questions, including the electoral process, accusing Ankara of offering direct backing to the federal government in Mogadishu.
The move comes as friction escalates between the Federal Government of Somalia and opposition groups over the country’s political trajectory and election arrangements.
Even so, delegates from Puntland State and Jubbaland are expected to join a wider session on Thursday that brings together Western diplomats, Turkey, the federal government, and opposition leaders. The gathering would mark the first formal forum uniting all major stakeholders to discuss the electoral roadmap.
Turkey has assumed a high-profile role in Somalia in recent years through security assistance, development aid, and sustained diplomatic engagement with the federal authorities.
Both federal states had earlier voiced concerns within the Somali Future Council, an opposition alliance, objecting to Ankara’s involvement in Somalia’s internal matters and insisting Turkey should not mediate election-related negotiations.
The standoff underscores the deep rifts among Somalia’s political actors as they seek common ground on the electoral process and the country’s future governance framework.
AXADLETM
