By Zakariye Hassan - Reporter
Somalia (Dawan), 10 August 2026 — Somalia’s National Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (NIEC) met with members of the international community on Monday to discuss progress on the country’s electoral process and preparations to expand the one-person, one-vote system.
The meeting was chaired by Commission Chairman Abdikarim Ahmed Hassan and attended by Commissioners Abdi Adow and Mohamed Amin Hassan, as well as Secretary-General Hussein Nunow Ali.
Ambassadors from the United States, Britain, China, Turkey, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan and Egypt also attended, along with representatives from the United Nations, African Union and Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
Hassan briefed participants on work carried out by the electoral body, including local council elections held in the Banadir region and joint local council and parliamentary elections in South West and Galmudug states. He also discussed plans for joint elections in Hirshabelle state.
“The one-person, one-vote electoral process has been successfully implemented in the country,” Hassan said, adding that the elections were part of efforts to strengthen public participation in the political process.
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He said Somalis had, for the first time in nearly 57 years, been given an opportunity to directly elect their political representatives at different levels.
According to NIEC, ambassadors and representatives of the international community welcomed the progress made in the one-person, one-vote process.
They expressed support for efforts to strengthen the democratic system and return electoral power to the Somali people.
The commission said the international community also pledged to work with NIEC to support the implementation of inclusive, transparent and credible elections.
The meeting comes as Somalia continues its electoral process at different levels, with NIEC preparing for upcoming polls and working to expand the one-person, one-vote system nationwide.