By Mohamed Abdi - Reporter
KAMPALA, Uganda, July 31 (Dawan Media) – Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Friday objected to the inclusion of references to Somalia's domestic political affairs in the draft communiqué of a regional summit on the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia (AUSSOM), saying the meeting should remain focused on security and financing.
Speaking during the plenary session of the Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of countries contributing troops to AUSSOM, Hassan Sheikh thanked officials for preparing the draft communiqué but said provisions dealing with Somalia's internal political process should be removed.
The draft communiqué, discussed by leaders at the summit, called for a unified Somalia, urged efforts to strengthen democratic governance and national institutions, and requested Hassan Sheikh to convene a conference of Somali political leaders and leaders of the Federal Member States, with heads of state from AUSSOM troop-contributing countries attending as observers.
"Political matters of Somalia are very internal, and Somalia does not want them to be included in this communiqué," the president said.
He said the summit had been convened to address security challenges, the fight against Al-Shabaab and funding shortfalls facing AUSSOM, adding that those issues had been adequately covered in the draft statement.
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"The local politics of Somalia must not be internationalized or regionalized," Hassan Sheikh said, adding that his government would address political issues through domestic processes with the support and advice of regional partners, rather than through an international communiqué.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who chaired the session, asked whether Somalia wanted the section dealing with political developments inside the country removed from the communiqué.
"My team will work with the team, and they have the draft of that place," Hassan Sheikh replied. "They will add it in that manner."
Museveni responded by instructing officials to revise the draft.
The summit brought together leaders from countries contributing troops to AUSSOM to discuss the mission's future, efforts to combat Al-Shabaab and ways to address persistent funding challenges facing the African Union operation in Somalia.