Somalia: Farmajo reconciles with Madobe in Dhusamareb ahead of key talks

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DHUUSAMAREEB, Somalia - The much anticipated Somalia's political negotiations between the federal government and member states started on a high note of separate meetings with President Farmajo meeting with Jubaland leader Ahmed Madobe.

On Sunday morning, the two arch-rivals held a closed-door meeting at the Galmadug's presidential palace, where regional leader Ahmed Abdi Kariye alias Qoor Qoor brokered the unprecedented reconciliatory meeting. It's not clear how long the three sat for the meeting.

Multiple sources told Garowe Online that it was "necessary" for the two to reconcile so that "our next meeting becomes easier". The sources further said that two "do not have such big differences that could not be solved in Somalia".

In a statement, Jubaland's presidency has announced that the face-to-face meeting was a "good start" of efforts aimed to pave the way for future talks to end to the political rift between Villa Somalia and President Ahmed Madobe.

The meeting was the first since the re-election of Madobe as Jubaland president for the second term in office. The August 2019 Jubaland elections triggered a fallout between the two leaders, forcing Farmajo to dismiss the outcome as "fraudulent" and promised to have fresh elections.

Until now, it's still not yet clear if the two reconciled but they are all expected to take part in talks between FMS and FGS where the two critical stakeholders are expected to among others, settle on the model and date for Somalia's upcoming elections.

In a serious of communique, Madobe had accused Farmajo of plotting to overthrow him using Somali National Army and Ethiopian non-AMISOM troops. Farmajo, Madobe had claimed, was keen to establish a parallel administration in the Gedo region to rival Jubaland leadership.

While Farmajo admitted to deploying SNA troops to Gedo, he insisted that the army had powers to protect Somalia from "unnecessary infiltration" from "outsiders". He accused Kenya of "imposing" Madobe on the people of Jubaland.

For the better part of February and March, the SNA troops had an altercation with Jubaland regional troops in Gedo, a move which attracted international retribution with the US calling shots. The troops are still in Gedo and have been accused of arresting local leaders allied to Madobe.

Early this year, a top official for Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF] claimed that Ethiopian PM Ahmed Abiy and President Farmajo had deployed commandos from the ENDF to have Madobe arrested and deported to Ethiopia to face "charges".

The move, he argued, backfired when Jubaland forces and KDF troops blocked an Ethiopian plane from landing at Kismayo airport just days to regional elections last year in August. Jubaland had defended the actions while insisting that the plane was carrying FGS officials who had been charged to manipulate local polls.

For many months now, Madobe has also been calling for the withdrawal of non-AMISOM troops from Ethiopia who he insists that have been committing war crimes in Jubaland. Ethiopia has never issued a statement over the claims but the UN has repeatedly admitted of the presence of the "unauthorized" ENDF troops in Jubaland.

The reconciliation between Madobe and Farmajo would end one of Somalia's long-standing internal differences which have significantly contributed to sluggish development in Jubaland.

Madobe had recently reconciled with his local competitors in Nairobi through Kenyan mediated talks, where he agreed to form a unity government besides retiring at the end of the second term.

GAROWE ONLINE

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