Somalia: President Touches Down in Baidoa Under Tight Security

The President of Somalia Hassan Sheikh Mohamud arrived in Baidoa, the seat of the Southwest Regional state on Monday.

The President was cordially welcomed at the Airport by the leader of the Southwest Abdiazis Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, MPs, Ministers, and other officials.

A statement from the Presidency said, Mohamud while he is in Baidoa city will open a reconciliation conference called by Lower House speaker Sheikh Aden Madobe.

The planned talks are intended to find a way out for the current stalemate in Southwest State which is centered on the one-year term extension of incumbent Lafta-Gareen.

In addition, President Hassan Sheikh will hold a meeting with the regional leader over the ongoing war in the country, where the National Army and locals battling against AlShabaab.

The Reconciliation Conference was scheduled to open today in Baidoa but has been called off for technical issues, and it is set to kick start tomorrow with full attendance.

Southwest State's current leader Lafta-Gareen has been in office since December 2018 and his constitutional mandate expired last month with no election in place.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.