By Zakarie Hassan - Reporter
Mogadishu, 26 August 2026 — As political debate over Somalia’s electoral system continues, Mogadishu is hosting the inaugural Somali Governance Forum, a platform designed to foster dialogue on the country’s electoral future and explore pathways toward consensus on an acceptable electoral model.
Organized by the Somali Public Agenda research center, the two-day forum brings together senior government officials, opposition leaders, researchers, academics and civil society representatives to discuss one of Somalia’s most contentious political issues.
Discussions are focusing on different electoral models, the challenges facing electoral reforms and possible pathways toward political consensus ahead of future elections.
Mahad Wasuge, Director of Somali Public Agenda, said the forum aims to provide a neutral space where stakeholders with differing political views can engage in constructive dialogue.
“Those already engaged in political dialogue are coming together here. Representatives from the government, political groups, civil society and other stakeholders are participating. The goal is to discuss practical solutions to Somalia’s electoral challenges,” Wasuge said.
The forum is notable for bringing together senior government officials and opposition leaders at a time when disagreements over electoral arrangements remain unresolved.
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Government participants are expected to include Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Omar Balcad, who are expected to present the government’s position on electoral reforms.
Speaking during one of the forum’s sessions, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs said the government remains open to technical discussions on electoral arrangements, while maintaining that one-person, one-vote elections remain a constitutional right that should ultimately be guaranteed to Somali citizens.
Opposition participants include Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, leader of the Wadajir Party, and Yusuf Gama’did, Secretary-General of the Himilo Qaran Party.
Organizers say the forum is intended not only to encourage open debate but also to build trust among political stakeholders and identify common ground on Somalia’s electoral future.
The forum, the first of its kind, will run for two days and is expected to become an annual platform for discussions on governance, democracy and state-building in Somalia.