US leads growing Int'l partners calls for Somalia's delayed elections

MOGADISHU, Somalia - The US is not taking anything for granted as it pushes calls for Somalia's delayed elections, warning that the Horn of Africa nation has no option but to hold elections based on Sep pre-election deal at Mogadishu, where all parties seemingly reached a consensus.

In a tweet on Saturday, the US embassy in Mogadishu said the country should relook at the September 17 agreement, adding that the leadership should be tolerant of one another for the sake of stability and peace in the country, which has struggled with instability for three decades.

Somalia, the US said, should lead by example by setting precedence in Africa's future of peaceful and transparent polls. The statement was endorsed by Donald Yamamoto, who is the US ambassador to the Horn of Africa nation.

"We urge leaders to resolve the issues debated at Dhusamareb, carry out the Sept. 17 agreement and hold elections in short order," read the statement. "It's time to demonstrate inspiring leadership, clarity of direction, and unity to do what is right for Somalia and serve as an example for Africa’s future."

Members of the international community also seemed to back the US statement, pushing for another round of talks among the stakeholders, adding that the issues delaying the electoral process are too small and should not be allowed to delay elections anymore.

"International partners do not believe that the question of the location justifies any delay to this critically important summit. We urge the Federal Government and Federal Member State leaders, in a constructive spirit, to resolve the small number of issues outstanding from the Dhusamareb talks and agree to a short election timeline necessary to implement the 17 September Agreement," the team said in a statement.

"We believe it is vital that the discussions initiated in Dhusamareb be brought quickly to a successful conclusion in this next round of dialogue. We encourage the FGS and FMS leaders attending the summit to engage in frequent communication and consultation with other Somali stakeholders to inform the deliberations," it added.

Outgoing President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has yet again called for a meeting scheduled for tomorrow, but the teams are yet to settle for the venue. While Farmajo insists that the talks should take place in Garowe, the regional administrative capital of Puntland, other stakeholders want it to be held in Mogadishu.

"Now is the time to avoid unilateral actions and proceed quickly to agree on the implementation of the 17 September electoral process to choose Somalia’s leaders," the international partners argued in a statement, just a few days before the country goes to another round table talks over the electoral stalemate.

Somalia stands at an electoral crossroads with leaders still in deadlock over the management of the election which passed its deadline last December 2020.

GAROWE ONLINE