MOGADISHU, May 18, 2026 – Somalia’s long-running electoral dispute took on fresh urgency on Monday as international partners opened virtual crisis talks with the opposition alliance and influential regional leaders, diplomatic sources said, in a bid to pull the country back from a deepening political impasse. The online session brought foreign diplomats face to face with the Future Council, a major coalition of opposition-aligned political figures, as well as Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni and Jubbaland…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s widening political crisis came under intense scrutiny on Thursday, when international partners gathered at a heavily secured Western embassy inside the Halane compound to assess what comes next for the country’s embattled federal government. According to diplomatic sources, much of the conversation centered on how the international community should deal with Somali authorities after May 15. One of the most disputed issues was whether the World Bank’s Operational Policy 7.30 (OP 7.30) could be…

Wednesday April 29, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somalia on Wednesday put its security sector under the microscope, as government officials and international partners gathered in Mogadishu for a senior-level review centered on reform, accountability and the long-term viability of the country’s armed forces. The session brought together federal government representatives, the World Bank and other international partners to take stock of progress and pinpoint the remaining weak spots in critical institutions. Discussions centered on…

Somalia’s election plans for 2026 sit at the centre of a wider political transition, involving federal institutions, regional states, and a long list of external partners. Over the past year, international stakeholders have focused on one main goal: helping Somalia conduct elections that are credible, inclusive, and accepted by key domestic actors—while also supporting the security conditions needed for voting. Background: How Somalia’s election process is shaped Somalia’s political system is built on a federal model,…

Japan and Australia said they are not planning to send naval vessels to escort commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump called on allies to help reopen the vital waterway amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran. Trump, arguing that countries dependent on Gulf oil have a responsibility to protect the corridor through which about 20 percent of the world’s energy flows, said his administration has contacted seven nations to form a maritime coalition. He did not identify them, though over the weekend…

MOGADISHU — The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) and other international partners met Monday with senior representatives of the Federal Government of Somalia and the opposition-aligned Somali Future Council, hours after high-level political talks collapsed without agreement as constitutional deadlines approach. In a statement posted on social media, UNTMIS said it was disappointed the two sides had not reached a deal in the discussions held so far. “Along with other partners, UNTMIS…

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud unveiled a three-pronged diplomatic and legal campaign to overturn Israel’s recognition of North Western State of Somalia, warning the move threatens Somalia’s sovereignty and the security of the Red Sea corridor. He said Mogadishu is acting in close coordination with partners led by Saudi Arabia to contain what he called a reckless escalation. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Mohamud said any recognition of the self-declared Republic of North Western State of Somalia as an independent…

Trump threatens 25% tariff on countries trading with Iran as rights group reports 648 killed in protests U.S. President Donald Trump said he will impose a 25% tariff on “any country” that does business with Iran, escalating economic pressure on Tehran as an Iran-focused rights group reported at least 648 people killed in a sweeping crackdown on nationwide protests. “Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United…

KYIV, Ukraine — Security advisers from Ukraine’s key allies met in Kyiv on Monday to push a U.S.-brokered plan to end the war with Russia, days after Ukrainian officials said a draft agreement was “90%” complete. Senior officials from Britain, France and Germany, as well as representatives of NATO and the European Union, joined the talks, the first in a planned series this month. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff participated virtually, a Ukrainian official said. A follow-up meeting of European leaders is expected in France…

Beledweyne (AX) — Somalia’s National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA) said Monday it carried out a targeted raid with international partners in the Hiiraan region that killed seven al-Shabaab militants and destroyed a truck loaded with ammunition. In a statement, the agency said the pre-planned operation struck Biyo Madobe, a village under the Jicibow area of Hiiraan, part of a broader campaign to dismantle critical al-Shabaab positions and supply lines in central Somalia. NISA said the truck the militants were…