Browsing Tag

talks

U.S. intensifies pressure on Iran’s missile program before indirect talks

Geneva — The United States and Iran are set to open a new round of indirect talks in Switzerland aimed at averting a fresh spiral of conflict and ending weeks of threats, according to officials on both sides. The Geneva negotiations follow a U.S. military buildup across the region and repeated warnings from President Donald Trump that he is prepared to strike Iran if diplomacy fails. The agenda remains contested. Washington wants the talks to cover Iran’s nuclear activities, its ballistic missile program and its support for…

Somalia reaffirms universal suffrage election plan despite deadlocked political talks

Somalia vows to stick to one-person, one-vote plan amid stalled talks MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s government reaffirmed its push for a one-person, one-vote election after negotiations with the opposition-aligned Future Council ended without a deal, keeping uncertainty over the country’s electoral calendar. State Minister at the Foreign Ministry Ali Balcad said the government remains open to dialogue, technical compromises on how to conduct the vote, and broad national consultations. But he emphasized that the direction…

UN and partners meet Somali leaders after government-opposition talks collapse

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…

Somalia Election Talks Collapse as Mandate Deadline Approaches

Somali opposition bloc says talks with federal government collapse as election deadline nears MOGADISHU — The Somali Future Council, an alliance aligned with the opposition, said Monday its high-level negotiations with the federal government ended without agreement after several days of talks at the Presidential Palace, intensifying political uncertainty as the mandates of federal institutions expire in three months. The discussions focused on elections and constitutional reform. In a statement, the council said it entered…

Somalia’s Election Talks Collapse as Mandate Deadline Nears

Somali Future Council says government talks collapse as election deadlines loom Opposition bloc alleges unilateral constitutional changes, exclusion of MPs, and pressure tactics; seeks electoral pact by April 14 MOGADISHU — Somalia’s opposition-aligned Somali Future Council said Monday that its high-level negotiations with the federal government ended without agreement, raising the stakes as mandates for federal institutions expire in three months. The talks, held over several days at the Presidential Palace in Mogadishu,…

Federal Government, Opposition Resume Negotiations as Election Dispute Deepens

Sunday, February 22, 2026 MOGADISHU — High-level talks between Somalia’s federal government and the opposition-aligned Somali Future Council resumed Sunday at Villa Somalia, with both sides still divided over the country’s electoral direction as current mandates near expiration. The meeting is part of an ongoing consultative conference launched last week to resolve disputes over elections and constitutional reform. The stakes are rising as political actors face pressure to agree on a roadmap that averts a constitutional…

Somali government, opposition talks deadlock in clash over election agenda

Somalia government-opposition talks stall over election agenda dispute MOGADISHU, Somalia — A high-level meeting between leaders of the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Future Council was suspended on its second day after both sides failed to agree on which electoral issues should take priority, officials and participants said. The talks, convened to ease political tensions and set a clear path for Somalia’s next elections, broke down over the agenda itself. Government representatives pressed to advance their…

United Nations welcomes start of federal government-opposition talks in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU — The United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTAMS) on Thursday welcomed the formal launch of talks between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Future Council, calling the dialogue a crucial step toward easing the country’s political impasse ahead of looming constitutional deadlines. The meeting, chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud at the Presidential Palace, brought together senior government officials and opposition-aligned leaders amid heightened tensions and with less…

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Leads High-Level Talks With Opposition at Villa Somalia

Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting at the Presidential Palace that formally opened a consultative conference with leaders of the Somali Future Council, launching talks aimed at resolving disputes over elections and constitutional reform. The government-opposition dialogue — expected to run several days — begins amid rising political tension and with fewer than three months left in the government’s term, a compressed timeline that has…

UN atomic agency chief hails progress in Iran–US nuclear talks

GENEVA — The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog said talks between Iran and the United States in Geneva made “a step forward,” but warned that time is running out to lock in an agreement as military threats hover over the diplomacy. “We made progress, but there is still work to be done, and the problem is that we don’t have much time,” International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi told France’s LCI television in an interview. “There is the possibility of a dialogue that is really beginning, for the first time, to…