Nairobi (AX) — A newly formed peace council is stepping into South West State’s political crisis, working to bring rival factions to the negotiating table and make a ceasefire the first step toward ending the dispute.
The South West State Council for Peace, Unity and Development, comprising religious scholars, business leaders, women, youth and other members of South West society, outlined its mediation efforts at a press conference in Nairobi on Tuesday.
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Council members said they had no allegiance to either of the political factions seeking control of the South West administration and were determined to pursue a peaceful settlement.
The council said it had consulted civil society organizations from South West State, as well as members of the South West diaspora living in Nairobi.
Its members also met South West leader Sheikh Aden Mohamed Nur Madobe in Baidoa from Aug. 29 to Sept. 7, 2026.
In Nairobi, the council subsequently held discussions with former South West President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen on Sept. 18 and 19.
According to the council, both sides were encouraged to commit to peace and address their differences through political dialogue that serves the public interest and rests on a credible legal framework accepted by all parties.
“The most critical issue we are focusing on is the ceasefire,” a council member said, describing a halt in hostilities as the necessary foundation for dialogue.
Members acknowledged that the mediation process faces significant challenges, but said their immediate priority was to persuade both camps that a ceasefire must come first.
“South West communities inside Somalia and abroad strongly support the peace efforts and called on all parties to participate in initiatives aimed at ending the conflict,” they added.
Mohamed Abdi Nur, a council member, said the group would maintain its outreach and continue meeting stakeholders involved in the South West State dispute.
The initiative follows several rounds of fighting in Baidoa between forces loyal to Laftagareen and troops aligned with the current South West administration.
