IC calls for dialogue on Galmudug state political dispute, warns against violence 

UN envoy to Somalia Michael during an address to the UN Security Council last year. The UN and other international partners have warned of risks of political instability in Galmudug following impeachment proceedings against President Abdikarin Guled. File Photo: UN News Centre

The international community has warned political developments in Galmudug could undermine the stability of the region following last week’s impeachment motion against the state president Abdikarin Guled.

In a joint statement Thursday, the UN, EU, US and other partners called for dialogue in resolving the issues which led to the move by the state Assembly to institute impeachment proceedings against president Guled.

“The dispute, which has led to a vote to remove the President from office, with the President and the Speaker of the assembly rejecting the vote as illegal, is potentially destabilizing,” the statement read.

Galmudug state Assembly this past week passed an impeachment motion against president Guled over claims of gross violation of the constitution and incompetence. President Guled and House Speaker Ali Ga’al Asir have since rubbished the motion as illegal. The lawmakers also indicated they were working removing the speaker from office through a parliamentary process.

A day before the motion was tabled in the house last week, Galmudug forces cordoned off the assembly barring the lawmakers from conducting business.

In the statement, the international community (IC) has also warned against attempts to resort to violence in addressing the issues at hand calling on security forces ‘to now focus on consolidating and building on the gains from the electoral and state-building processes and make every effort to avoid actions that could undermine the progress that is unfolding in the country.’

“The international partners call on all the stakeholders in Galmudug, in particular members of the regional assembly, the Speaker of the assembly and the President, to resolve the underlying issues through dialogue and refrain from resorting to any acts of violence,” the IC noted.