A delegation from the government of Djibouti is in the Somali capital, Mogadishu to find ways of ending the standoff between Somali lawmakers which seems to derail the work of the UN-backed transition government.

Led by Minister for Religious Affairs, Hamud Abdi, the team arrived in Mogadishu on Wednesday and are reported to held meetings with the Somali officials including Prime Minister Omar Abdi Rashid Sharma'arke

On Thursday, the team held talks with Somali president Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and speaker Sheikh Adan Madobe, the two protagonists at the centre of heated dispute between various groups of Lawmakers, in Villa Somalia.

Government officials told Garowe Online that the Djiboutian minister is trying to bring together the two feuding leaders to solve the crisis that even the international community failed to solve.

“The Djiboutian delegation met with President Sheikh Sharif and urged him to reopen the parliament so that the lawmakers debate on motions including government accountability,” said a Somali transition government minister.  

“The plan of this delegation from Djibouti is to save the (Somali) government from collapse,” said a lawmaker who requested not to be named. The lawmaker added that progress is made so far in bringing together the two leaders.

Speaker Madobe is said to have told the Djiboutian delegation that he is ready step aside if the lawmakers vote him out. Djiboutian president has reportedly spoken with the two Somali leaders through the phone on Thursday.

In the past few days, Somalia’s president held series of meetings with his backers in the parliament in an effort to marshal support for the ouster of Sheikh Madobe from the speakership. He wants the position for his right hand man, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Aden, who is the current Finance Minister.

The international community has voiced strong concerns about the deteriorating state of affairs of the fragile government, which was formed more than a year ago in Djibouti through a power-sharing arrangement.

GAROWE ONLINE