Poll talks venue a non issue, IC tells Somali leaders

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: The International Community has dismissed the tussle over the location of the next electoral talks as a non-issue and called on the Federal and State leaders to resolve the matter and pave way for the February 15 fresh talks.

A joint statement from foreign missions in the country Saturday noted that the location of the talks cannot be used as an excuse to derail the talks which have since been bedevilled by brinkmanship and distrust between the two levels of government.

“International partners do not believe that the question of the location justifies any delay to this critically important summit,” the statement read in part calling for ‘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’.

A new round of tussles between outgoing president Mohamed Farmaajo and a joint front of Jubbaland and Puntland presidents ensued mid-week after the duo demanded the talks be held in Mogadishu and not Garowe, Puntland as proposed by Farmaajo.

The two sides have differed sharply on the elections leading to collapse of the talks four times as the country stares at a constitutional crisis over missed timelines. Farmaajo’s stay in office ended February 8 but his administration has insisted there is no power vacuum.

In their statement Saturday, the international community also called for a speedy resolution of contentious issues in the next round of talks adding the need for consultations with other stakeholders.

“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.”