Somalia, 5 May 2026 Somali Future Council said Tuesday it will join talks with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud only if the government ends unilateral election moves and agrees to independent mediation.
The council said it remains open to dialogue aimed at reaching an agreement on elections, but stressed that meaningful negotiations would not be possible while parallel actions continue.
President Mohamud had recently called for a national dialogue platform, to bring together political stakeholders ahead of planned national elections.
The council said it “welcomes with caution and responsibility” the invitation to talks scheduled for May 10, while raising concerns over the broader political environment.
In a statement, the council said it had previously participated in dialogue at a time when, it alleged, the government was pursuing unconstitutional amendments to the country’s constitution.
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It added that the latest invitation comes alongside what it called unilateral steps, including the announcement of an election timetable.
The council also called for a political agreement on elections to be reached before May 15, 2026, which it said marks the end of the president’s current term.
It warned that if no agreement is reached, it would take “responsible measures” in coordination with the Somali public to safeguard national unity and statehood.
The developments come as Somalia faces ongoing political divisions over its electoral process, with stakeholders holding differing views on how elections should be conducted.