Somali President Invites Future Council for May 10 Talks on Election Impasse

MOGADISHU — Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has called the Somali Future Council to a meeting in Mogadishu on May 10, according to a statement released by the presidency on Saturday.

The invitation comes after several weeks of consultations between the president and different sectors of Somali society, and the proposed session is expected to tackle some of the country’s most pressing political questions.

In the statement, the presidency said the discussions will focus on speeding up state-building efforts, especially the electoral process, while also strengthening national unity and outlining Somalia’s political path forward.

The president stressed the importance of compromise and a shared understanding if the talks are to produce concrete outcomes. He also reaffirmed the federal government’s pledge to pursue an inclusive political system rooted in consensus, unity, sovereignty, and statehood.

The outreach comes fewer than 15 days before the president’s current term expires, and no deal has yet been reached on how the next national elections will be held.

It is still uncertain whether opposition groups will take part in the meeting. Earlier rounds of dialogue have broken down, with opposition politicians accusing the president of seeking to shape the electoral process to his advantage.

Just before the presidency issued its statement, opposition leaders said they would unveil within a week an alternative plan for elections in Somalia, rejecting both indirect voting and a one-person, one-vote system.

AXADLETM