By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter
Mogadishu, 24 September 2026 Former Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has called on President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to lead an inclusive national dialogue, secure a political agreement on the electoral process and hold an inclusive election within a short period.
Farmaajo outlined the three proposals in an open letter addressed to President Hassan Sheikh, saying Somalia is facing sensitive political, security, economic and social circumstances.
As a first step, Farmaajo called for a national dialogue founded on genuine compromise. He said a Somali-led dialogue was essential to preventing foreign interference and decisions concerning the country from being made externally.
Second, he proposed that Somalia's political stakeholders reach an agreement on the electoral process. Farmaajo argued that a political settlement on the election was fundamental to maintaining a legitimate government and holding a vote accepted by all sides.
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Third, the former president called for an inclusive election to be held within a short period to end the country's political uncertainty. He warned that institutions whose mandates he said had expired were remaining in office, a situation he described as a threat to Somalia's statehood.
In his letter, Farmaajo said Somalia's state-building process had rested on four pillars: a consensual constitution, completion of the federal system, elections held on schedule, and a political process guided by dialogue, compromise and inclusive agreements.
He accused President Hassan Sheikh's administration of weakening those pillars, citing disputes between the federal government and some federal member states, disagreements over the constitution and the absence of a broadly accepted electoral framework.The former president also highlighted the continuing threat posed by Al-Shabaab, uncertainty surrounding the future of African Union forces, major shifts in international politics, and the economic and social challenges facing the Somali people. He said these conditions required courageous political action and compromise.
Farmaajo's letter comes as President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is in New York to attend meetings of the United Nations General Assembly.