Somalia election rift widens as Puntland State and Jubaland quit Mogadishu negotiations
MOGADISHU – Somalia’s electoral crisis has intensified after delegations representing Puntland State and Jubaland withdrew from negotiations in Mogadishu, saying they were dissatisfied with the course of the discussions.
The representatives departed the capital on Tuesday after determining that little headway had been made and that major points of contention remained unsettled, sources familiar with the negotiations said.
Officials from Puntland State and Jubaland reportedly accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s government of refusing to compromise on matters concerning Somalia’s federal electoral system, a stance they said had driven the talks into deadlock.
The Mogadishu negotiations sought to bridge political divisions between the federal government and opposition-aligned Federal States over the electoral process and wider questions of governance.
The departure of both regional delegations casts fresh doubt on attempts to secure a political settlement before Somalia’s planned electoral timeline.
The federal government has yet to formally address the reported withdrawal of the Puntland State and Jubaland representatives or allegations that the negotiations have reached an impasse.
Somalia has endured a prolonged dispute over electoral reforms, with disagreements focused on how elections should be structured, the division of authority between the federal government and member states, and the execution of the country’s political transition plans.
AXADLETM
