Int’l community calls for dialogue in Somalia over Jubba State

The international community on Tuesday voiced its concern over the wrangling between Somalia’s federal government and the southern state of Jubba following a declaration by Mogadishu that the state assembly was illegally constituted.

In a joint statement, the Eastern Africa regional body, Inter- governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), European Union, African Union in Somalia (AMISOM), the U.S. and Britain called on all stakeholders to refrain from any actions that will undermine the state formation process or reverse gains made in the process.

“We welcome the efforts of the Federal Government of Somalia, and encourage the Interim Jubba Administration and the federal government to work constructively to resolve any issues arising from the Interim Juba Regional Assembly process through dialogue and consultations,” the statement said.

“The current challenges concerning the formation of the Interim Jubba Administration Assembly need to be addressed in a spirit of reconciliation and compromise,” it said.

The international community called for a mutually acceptable dispute resolution mechanism to ensure both parties reach an amicable solution.

The statement comes a week after relations between the Jubba administration and the federal government in Mogadishu had grown frosty over the vote by the federal parliament.

The Federal Parliament, through a motion, said the process in which Jubba Administration Assembly was constituted illegal, calling for its dissolution.

Following the motion result, the Jubba administration in a swift rebuttal declared it was severing ties with the federal government, a move which could be seen as a threat to peace in southern Somalia and generally the stability of the country.

Jubba State was established as an interim administration following an agreement by local and regional stakeholders in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2013.

Jubba State is key in the war against terror in Somalia as its main sea port Kismayu had been the major source of funds for the militant group Al-Shabaab before it was liberated by government forces.