U.S. warns Somali leaders over exclusion of regional states from key decisions
Source: Hiiraan Online, Saturday May 10, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — The United States has strongly warned Somali leaders over recent decisions made during the National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting, cautioning against political consolidation and governance changes made without an inclusive national dialogue.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), the United States Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs emphasized that broad-based participation is essential in shaping Somalia’s federal structure and electoral process.
“All relevant stakeholders should have a say in changes to Somalia’s federal and election systems. Decisions taken without broad based support will lack legitimacy and distract from pressing security challenges,” the post read.
The statement comes amid growing tensions following the latest NCC summit, which concluded in Mogadishu on Wednesday. The meeting, chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, excluded the leaders of Puntland and Jubbaland—two of Somalia’s key federal member states—who have both previously withdrawn from the consultative process over disputes with the federal government.
The summit communiqué pledged full support for the Somali National Army in its fight against Al-Shabaab and called for deeper cooperation between federal and regional administrations to bolster stability. However, the absence of Puntland and Jubbaland has raised concerns among opposition politicians and international partners that decisions made at the forum may lack national legitimacy.
Critics have accused the federal government of seeking to centralize power and alter the electoral process without securing consensus from all stakeholders, risking further fragmentation in the country’s fragile federal system.
The NCC is Somalia’s highest intergovernmental forum, designed to unify federal and state-level leadership around national priorities including security, governance, and democratic reforms. President Mohamud was joined at this week’s meeting by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, and the presidents of Galmudug, Hirshabelle, South West, SSC-Khaatumo, and the Banadir administration.
The international community, including the United Nations and African Union, has repeatedly urged Somali leaders to resolve political disputes through dialogue and consensus, warning that unilateral decisions could undermine efforts to defeat terrorism and consolidate democratic institutions.