Somali federal government eases tensions with Puntland State, Jubbaland before election talks

Somalia pledges inclusive dialogue as Jubaland, Puntland State allege flight blocks ahead of election talks

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s federal government on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to preserving national unity and advancing an inclusive political dialogue, even as tensions rise with the Jubaland and Puntland State regional administrations over security arrangements before planned election talks.

In a statement, the government said it remains fully committed to an open, broad and constructive consultative process with the Somali Future Council, calling dialogue the only viable path to resolving political differences. Citing its constitutional duty to safeguard national cohesion, the government said it has taken concrete steps to ensure meaningful participation, including the formation of a Federal Government Technical Committee tasked with creating a broad platform for engagement.

The committee “conducted consultations with intellectuals and representatives from various sectors of society,” the statement said, underscoring an effort to widen the process beyond political elites. Officials said the federal committee and the Future Council’s own technical team held several meetings and agreed on procedural and technical arrangements intended to ensure a well-prepared, orderly and inclusive consultative meeting.

The government acknowledged disruptions, expressing regret over an incident on Feb. 1 as well as delays involving some Future Council delegates that affected planned proceedings. It did not disclose details of the incident.

The latest statement follows accusations by Jubaland and Puntland State that the federal government blocked aircraft carrying their soldiers and presidential security teams from landing in Mogadishu on Sunday, deepening political strains ahead of a high-level consultative conference on elections. Both regional administrations said planes transporting advance delegations and security personnel for their presidents were ordered to turn back shortly before landing at Aden Adde International Airport. They described the move as politically motivated and dangerous.

According to the two states, the flights had been cleared by the Civil Aviation Authority, the conference organizing committee and federal security agencies, but were instructed to return to Kismayo and Garowe as they approached Mogadishu. They said the decision was issued without assurances that the aircraft had sufficient fuel to make the journey back, calling it a “hostile decision” that put lives at risk.

Federal government sources said Mogadishu had previously agreed to allow up to 30 uniformed and 10 plainclothes security personnel to accompany each regional president. They accused both Jubaland and Puntland State of attempting to deploy more than 100 security personnel each, raising security concerns.

The same sources said the federal government is now prepared to allow the two leaders to bring any number of security personnel as talks move forward, describing the shift as an attempt to defuse tensions and keep discussions on elections and the broader political impasse on track.

The dispute underscores the fragile trust between Somalia’s federal government and its member states at a moment when consensus is urgently needed to navigate electoral delays, persistent security threats from al-Shabab and a complex humanitarian landscape. Officials in Mogadishu framed their approach as guided by the national interest and mindful of the country’s overlapping crises.

It was not immediately clear when the consultative meeting with the Somali Future Council would reconvene. The government said it remains committed to resolving outstanding disputes through dialogue, consensus and mutual respect, and indicated that technical teams have already laid groundwork for an inclusive process once parties return to the table.

While the latest flare-up has stoked tensions, both sides face pressure to avoid a protracted standoff that could derail election planning and distract from security operations. With regional leaders and federal authorities trading accusations over aviation access and security protocols, Somalia’s political stakeholders now confront a familiar test: whether they can translate pledges of unity into practical steps that restore confidence and move the process forward.

By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.