President Mohamud chairs ‘historic’ meeting bringing together former presidents, speakers and Prime Ministers

GOOBJOOG NEWS|MOGADISHU: President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is today chairing a one-of-a-kind meeting bringing together former presidents, prime ministers, and speakers of both the Federal Parliament as part of his initiative to promote consultative and open governance.

Among those attending the meeting are former President Sheikh Sharif Ahmed who served between 2007 and 2012, former Prime Ministers Mohamed Roble (23 September 2020 to 25 June 2022) Ali Hassan Khaire (23 February 2017-July 25, 2020), Abdiweli Ali Gas (June 2011 to October 2012 ), Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke (2009 to 2010 and December 2014 to March 2017) and Ali Mohamed Geed (2004 to 2007).

Others are former House speakers, Sharif Hassan Sheikh Adan who served between 2004 and 2007 and 2010 and 2012, Professor Osman Jawaari (28 August 2012 – 9 April 2018 ) and Mohamed Abdirahman Mursal (1 May 2018 – 27 April 2022). Hussein Abdi Halane who served twice as Finance Minister between 2010 and 2014 is also part of the meeting. Only immediate former President Mohamed Farmaajo did not attend the meeting.

According to a statement from Villa Somalia, the two days meeting will focus on security, counter-terrorism, completion of the constitution review and democratization.

The meeting is the first in recent memory to bring together former leaders who have served in the seniormost senior positions in the country. The meeting is seen as a show of magnanimity by President Mohamud who has staked his presidency on consultations and wide engagement among various sectors of the society.

In recent weeks, the President has engaged with religious leaders, professionals, youth and women in a bid to ensure every sector of the society not only participates in some of the most consequential developments in the country but also makes governance inclusive and transparent.

National transformation

The meeting comes at a time Somalia is undergoing a major transformation in political, security and economic spheres. On the political front, the country’s leadership through the National Consultative Council endorsed a landmark agreement in May which would see Somalia pace forward in the democratization process. The NCC endorsed the adoption of a presidential system of government which would give citizens the right to directly elect a president instead of parliament and clan representatives conducting the exercise. Once this proposal is endorsed by parliament, Somalis will get to enjoy the hard-worn constitutional right to elect their leaders.

On the security front, Somalia is in the midst of a war against extremists. The first phase of the operation against Al-Shabaab netted major gains through the liberation of about 100 locations and the establishment of a government presence. As the country gears up for the second phase of the operation, the President must involve other leaders who have gone before him for wisdom, advice and goodwill. This is especially crucial because the second phase involves the participation of neighbouring countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia, and Djibouti outside of the ATMIS framework. The president has also been working deligently to get ready for Somalia’s takeover of its own security responsibility once ATMIS exits the country by the end of 2024. The draw-down of ATMIS has been progressing smoothly and parallel to that is a robust and comprehensive security sector reform that will allow the government to effectively respond to security threats and take it’s primary responsibility to protect its civilians.

The economic transformation of the country is yet another important milestone Somalia is working through. The country anticipates reaching the crucial completion point under the IMF/World Bank Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative.

This also calls for active engagement and input from former leaders whose role has been crucial in shepherding the country through the debt relief process to this point.

Finally, the meeting underscores the President’s commitment to his rallying call for ‘Somalia at Peace with Itself and the World.’