Standoff threatens Somalia’s election talks as UN calls for urgent dialogue
MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s latest push to unlock political talks on elections hit a new snag Sunday after a security dispute grounded delegations from Puntland State and Jubaland, prompting the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) to urge swift, good-faith dialogue to keep negotiations on track.
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In a statement posted on social media, UNTMIS said preparatory teams from the two regional states were unable to reach Mogadishu due to missing technical clearances. The mission called for “rapid completion of the preparatory work by the technical teams, and further efforts by the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Future Council leadership to create favourable conditions to convene the dialogue and reach agreement.”
The intervention underscores growing concern that deepening mistrust between the federal government and key regional administrations could derail consensus on a framework for Somalia’s elections and governance at a delicate moment, with the expiration of key constitutional mandates looming and efforts to resolve long-running electoral disputes back in focus.
Federal officials said earlier that two planes carrying security personnel for the presidents of Jubaland and Puntland State were refused landing clearance at Mogadishu’s Aden Adde International Airport. Authorities cited security concerns and the need to uphold protocols governing movement of armed forces in the capital as leaders prepared to attend the consultative forum.
The Ministry of Interior said the aircraft were transporting armed personnel and weapons in violation of established procedures for Mogadishu and its international airport. In statements outlining the government’s position, officials said visiting leaders had been authorized a limited escort — up to 30 uniformed guards and 10 plainclothes officers per president — but accused both regional administrations of attempting to deploy more than 100 security personnel each, a move federal authorities described as a direct threat to national security.
“The government will not tolerate actions that undermine security or involve the use or threat of force to achieve political objectives,” one federal statement read, warning that any uncoordinated armed movement into the capital would be treated as a challenge to national sovereignty.
UNTMIS urged all sides to resolve the impasse quickly so the consultative forum can proceed. The mission’s appeal reflects international partners’ fears that procedural disputes, if left to harden into political crises, could stall Somalia’s fragile transition and complicate already sensitive bargaining over the rules, timelines and security arrangements for elections.
The failed travel comes as technical teams work to finalize the agenda and modalities for talks that aim to bridge divides between the federal government and regional leaders over electoral models, institutional powers and security coordination. The Somali Future Council — named in UNTMIS’s statement — has been engaged alongside federal authorities to prepare the ground for dialogue.
While security arrangements for visiting delegations are typically negotiated in advance, the latest episode highlights the trust deficit over who controls armed units in the capital and under what terms, a long-standing friction point in Somalia’s federal system. Federal authorities say tighter controls are essential to protect recent security gains in Mogadishu; regional leaders argue that adequate protection for their presidents is a nonnegotiable part of any substantive talks.
With no immediate resolution announced, the forum’s timeline remains uncertain. UNTMIS’s message — narrow the procedural gaps, de-escalate security tensions and center dialogue — frames the path forward as one hinging on technical fixes and political will.
- UNTMIS urges rapid completion of technical preparations and confidence-building steps.
- Federal government cites protocol breaches in blocking two planes carrying armed security personnel.
- Puntland State and Jubaland delegations were unable to reach Mogadishu for the planned forum.
- Dispute raises stakes for reaching consensus on Somalia’s election and governance framework.
As political actors weigh next steps, the question is whether they can salvage the consultative forum with agreed security parameters and a clear agenda — or whether the latest standoff hardens positions at a moment when Somalia’s transition requires accommodation, not escalation.
By Ali Musa
Axadle Times international–Monitoring.
