Somalia: Jawari arrives in Baidoa for controversial forum

BAIDOA, Somalia - A high-level Parliamentary delegation led by the Speaker of the House of the People, Mohamed Sheikh Osman Jawari has arrived in the southern city of Baidoa on Monday, Garowe Online reports.

Speaker Jawari accompanied by his second deputy Mahad Awad Abdalla and a number of Federal MPs received a cordial welcome at the city's Shati-Gadud International Airport upon arrival from Southwest State officials.

The security has been extremely beefed up ahead of the delegation's arrival by the regional forces and Ethiopian forces serving with the African Union Mission to Somalia [AMISOM], according to local authorities.

The house speaker is expected to open a contentious meeting in Baidoa which brings together the speakers of the five regional parliaments with the aim to establish an unconstitutional inter-state parliament council.

The conference was expected to officially kick start on Monday, 25th December, but has been postponed to Tuesday for undisclosed reasons.

In mid this month, Abdi Hashi Abdullahi, the speaker of the Upper House chamber [Senate] expressed his opposition to the forum and described it as 'an affront' to the Federal system.

Hashi said in a letter emailed to the regional leaders and President Farmajo on 14th Dec that the Baidoa meeting will impede Upper House's role in representing the interests of the Federal Member States.

GAROWE ONLINE