Somali Future Council sets conditions for joining President’s dialogue

Tuesday May 5, 2026

Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council has said it is prepared to take part in President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s proposed national dialogue, but only if the government accepts a set of conditions centered on the country’s disputed electoral process.

In a formal letter released Tuesday, the Council said any meaningful talks with the Federal Government would require what it described as “genuine political integrity,” and it set out two main demands.

First, the group urged the immediate halt of all election-related activity, including political mobilization and preparations, saying continued efforts could widen rifts and weaken national unity.

Second, it called for an independent and credible mediator to lead the discussions, arguing that repeated dialogue attempts over the past two years have yielded no real progress.

“If progress is not made on these issues by May 15, 2026, we will take measures to preserve the country’s sovereignty,” the statement said, though it did not say what those measures would be.

The Council also cautioned that failure to settle political disputes through an inclusive and trustworthy process could push the country into a constitutional crisis or even state collapse.

The statement follows President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s invitation for opposition parties to attend a high-level meeting in Mogadishu on May 10. The presidency has said the gathering is intended to address major national issues, including the electoral process and Somalia’s political future.

International partners, among them the United Nations, the United Kingdom and the European Union, have welcomed the initiative and called on both sides to engage in good faith and work toward agreement.

The dispute underscores mounting political pressure ahead of the May 15 deadline, when the president’s current term is due to end, with no consensus yet on the electoral model or the timetable.