Turkey’s Push to Bridge Somalia’s Political Divide Stalls Amid Rivalries and Pressure

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Turkey’s effort to mediate Somalia’s political deadlock has run into fresh resistance, with technical disputes and widening foreign pressure slowing progress in the talks, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

The discussions had been expected to move forward this week with a meeting of technical committees drawn from the opposition and the federal government, after both sides had already reached a preliminary understanding. But disagreement over which political actors should be officially included on the opposition side has complicated plans for the next round.

Sources said Turkish mediators had suggested giving seats on the technical committees to figures aligned with former Somali president Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, who oppose the political agenda of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.

That proposal was reportedly rejected by members of the opposition’s Future Council, who insisted the committees should consist only of their own representatives and that the dialogue should remain strictly between the council and Villa Somalia. In their view, no additional political bloc should be given formal recognition in the process.

The row has led Turkish intelligence-linked mediators to weigh a return to Ankara while Somali political players continue searching for an agreement on the structure and format of the talks, the sources said. Mediation could resume once the parties settle on how the negotiations are to be organized.

At the same time, international partners operating under the C6+ framework have stepped up pressure on the Turkish-led effort. Sources said representatives of the international community have voiced concern that a one-sided mediation model would be unacceptable and have echoed the Future Council’s call for a broader, more inclusive channel for facilitation.

Western diplomats have also pushed back against what they see as an exclusively Turkish approach, arguing that international actors have long played a role in supporting Somali political dialogue and that Ankara should serve in a supporting capacity rather than lead the process, the sources added.

Turkish officials, the Somali federal government and opposition representatives did not immediately comment on the reported disagreements. The developments highlight how difficult it remains to narrow Somalia’s political divisions ahead of crucial national talks.

AXADLETM