Madobe, Deni engage UN head, envoys, dine with Farmaajo

Jubbaland President Ahmed Madobe and his Puntland counterpart Abdullahi Deni held talks with representatives of the international community Tuesday afternoon before meeting with President Mohamed Farmaajo for dinner at Villa Somalia.

Among those present in the meeting was the UN head in Somalia James Swan and ambassadors representing their countries in Somalia.

Though the details of the meeting remain scanty, sources privy to the talks indicate the international community sought assurances from the two leaders on their participation in the country’s electoral process. It is also understood the meeting was aimed at building ground for the two to meet with Farmaajo.

Both Deni and Madobe have not stepped in Mogadishu since their election into office in January 2019 and September of the same year respectively. Madobe was elected for a second term but the Federal Government rejected it before acceding to it mid this year.

The two leaders were later hosted by Farmaajo in Villa Somalia in the evening where they are reported to have had a chance to break the ice. The three leaders are scheduled to hold key talks from today on the election question after Deni and Madobe boycotted the Dhusamareb talks.