President Mohamud in Kismayo as relations with regional states falter

The President of the federal government of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has arrived in Kismayo, Jubba State as sour relations with the regional states threaten to derail the upcoming New Deal Conference in Mogadishu.

The New Deal Consultative Conference slated for Wednesday, 29th is likely to dominate the agenda as president Mohamud seeks to rally support from the regional states.

The visit is also expected to focus on the faltering relations between the Federal Government and regional states of Jubbaland and Puntland which have bitterly contested the formation of the new state of Galmudug.

Shuttle diplomacy

The president’s visit follows another shuttle diplomacy by Prime Minister Abdirashid Omar Sharmake whose negotiation meetings with Jubbaland leader and Puntland president Abdiweli Gas in the last two weeks seems to have borne no tangible results.

Puntland and Jubba have declared they will not be attending the summit, a development which is likely to put the Federal Government in Mogadishu in an awkward position even as the country prepares for the 2016 polls under the ‘Vision 2016’ arrangement.

Jubbaland State Assembly had last month declared it was severing ties with the Federal Government after the Federal Parliament declared through a motion the assembly as illegally constituted.

President Ahmed Mohamed Islam yesterday appended his signature on the draft constitution of Jubbaland State.

Goobjoog News