Somalia's President fails to unite federal leaders as key states boycott national talks  

MOGADISHU, Somalia - For yet another significant moment, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the president of Somalia, failed to mobilise all participants of the National Consultative Council (NCC) for a meeting in Mogadishu, with divisions widening in the fragile country.

The talks, first scheduled for May 2, 2025 and later May 5th 2025, failed to kick off due to disagreements amongst the proponents, but the president hurriedly convened the meeting later today, with just a section of the participants in attendance.

Puntland and Jubaland leadership under Said Abdullahi Deni and Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe, respectively, boycotted the convention, which is otherwise set to address national security and unity, with the fight against Al-Shabaab and economic development also set to feature.

Those attending include Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Ahmed Kaliye alias Qoorqoor (Galmudug), Abdiaziz Lafta-gareen (Southwest) and Ali Gudlawe (Hirshabelle). There is also a special attendance of Abdikadir Ahmed Aw-Ali, the leader of the newly recognised SSC-Khaatumo territory.

But the absence of Puntland and Jubaland paints a picture of a divided country with deep divisions threatening peace, security and stability of the Horn of Africa nation. Largely, the two states have protested against fraudulent constitutional amendments and inconsistent electoral laws.

Also in their grievances include skewed sharing of federal resources with little cooperation from Mogadishu — decisions are made without involvement of key stakeholders, irredeemably hurting federal structures and their philosophy.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud particular, is accused of ambushing state organs, including parliament, to enforce electoral changes, which they insist would lead to unconstitutional term extensions. Hassan Sheikh wants Somalia to shift from the indirect model of elections to universal suffrage.

Also derailing the cooperation is an uncoordinated fight against Al-Shabaab in the southern regions, with the Somali National Army losing strategic areas such as Adan Yabaal, at times blamed on massive infiltration of Al-Shabaab in security organs due to 'lack of leadership'.

In Puntland, local forces are battling to eliminate ISIS militants without help from Mogadishu, further hurting the cooperation. Fortunately, the local forces have made significant gains, dislodging the militants from the strategic Cal-Miskaad mountains.

For Jubaland, the strained relationship is largely attributed to disputes in the electoral system and recent clashes instigated by federal troops in Ras Kambooni and El-Wak, primarily staged to topple Ahmed Islam Mohamed Madobe.

“The NCC is not just another meeting, it is the engine room of Somalia’s future,” said a government official close to the discussions. “We are at a turning point. The choices made here will determine whether the country moves forward together or fragments further.”

Federal officials have voiced hope that Puntland and Jubbaland will rejoin the process, but both states have so far remained non-committal. Puntland has already launched its electoral roadmap outside federal coordination, accusing Mogadishu of unilateralism and constitutional violations.

The failure to resolve the federal stalemate and effectively implement the strategy on the fight against Al-Shabaab and ISIS puts Hassan Sheikh in a precarious position — he might have significantly lost ground and could be counting his days at Villa Somalia, given that his predecessors faced the same hurdles.

His fight to regain legitimacy has been futile, and attempts to reconcile with the leadership have hit a snag. With international partners like the US also threatening to withdraw support for Al-Shabaab militants, the president could be a troubled man counting days at Villa Somalia, analysts argue.

GAROWE ONLINE