Meeting between federal, regional leaders kicks off in Mogadishu

The National Consultative Council, a meeting between Somalia’s federal and member states leaders, has kicked off on Monday in the capital Mogadishu.

The meeting is chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and is also attended by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, his deputy Salah Ahmed Jama, member states’ leaders, and the mayor of Mogadishu.

The talks are expected to focus on the federalization of the country’s judicial system, delimitation of powers at federal and state levels, and the ongoing offensive against Al-Shabaab terrorists, the state-run Radio Muqdisho reported.

The meeting comes amid significant territorial gains made by the Somali army against Al-Shabaab terrorists particularly in the states of Hirshabelle and Galmudug.

Meanwhile, tensions have been simmering in South West state between authorities and the opposition over the controversial one-year term extension of President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed (Laftagareen) which was initially scheduled to end on December 19, 2022.