FGS Seeks dialogue with regional states amid constitutional dispute

Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has invited regional leaders to attend the upcoming National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting scheduled for April 20-21 in Mogadishu. This invitation comes amid a tense standoff between the federal government and Puntland, a semi-autonomous region, over recently passed constitutional amendments.

President Mohamud’s office sent invitations to all heads of federal member states, including Puntland’s leader, Said Abdullahi Deni. However, Deni’s participation remains uncertain. Puntland recently severed ties with federal government institutions in protest of the constitutional changes, which they argue lacked sufficient public consultation. The region also boycotted previous NCC meetings for the same reason.

The agenda for the upcoming NCC meeting focuses on critical national issues, including counter-terrorism efforts and finalizing Somalia’s constitution.

Further complicating the situation, Puntland recently established ties with neighboring Ethiopia, sending a delegation to discuss trade and investment opportunities. This move prompted the Somali government to order the closure of Ethiopian consulates in Garowe and Hargeisa, accusing Ethiopia of meddling in Somalia’s internal affairs.

Other invitees to the NCC meeting include leaders from Jubaland, Southwest, Galmudug, Hirshabelle states, and Mogadishu Mayor Yusuf Hussein Jimale. The invitation coincides with rumors suggesting regional states might issue a joint statement opposing the recent constitutional amendments.

The Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) noticeably excluded SSC-Khatumo from the invitations, despite recognizing it as an Interim Administration. The reasons behind this exclusion and the FGS’s plans for Khatumo remain unclear.