AU should mobilise external mediation on Somalia’s poll fiasco-Crisis Group

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The African Union should mobilise international support to set the ground from externally mediated electoral talks to resolve the ongoing political stalemate in Somalia, International Crisis Group has said.

The policy think tank said in a brief a third party intervention was the only viable option now given the level of mistrust among Somalia leaders.

“First, the AU, with the backing of key external partners, should appoint an envoy who, working in concert with the UN envoy, should meet the main parties separately and urge a return to talks,” Crisis Group said.

The two envoys, Crisis Group said should move in and implore upon outgoing president Mohamed Farmaajo to accept external mediation while the US should reach out to Somali allies notably Qatar and Turkey to buy in the mediation efforts.

The AU led talks guaranteed by the US, UN and EU should set out a roadmap for elections to be held within weeks and not months borrowing from the September 17, 2020, political agreement but expanding it to include key stakeholders such as the Council of Presidential Candidates (CPC).

SANCTIONS

But to ensure implementation, Crisis Group said, external actors should be ready to impose targeted sanctions. Whereas the EU and the US have been outright on their intention to deploy sanctions in the event Farmaajo fails to return to the table, the UK remains ambiguous opting to ‘coordinate with international partners’ on measures against the target actors.

“Somalia’s elites crave the legitimacy that comes with international recognition. Many use foreign passports to travel, hold assets outside Somalia, and keep their families in the U.S. or EU countries. Credible threats to impose visa bans and asset freezes might well concentrate minds,” Crisis Group said.

The brief comes amid heightened tensions in Mogadishu as the opposition and the government trade barbs amid build-up of armed groups.