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Somalia: UN, AU Urge Leaders to Resume Talks to Overcome Election Impasse
UN News, 16 February 2021
The United Nations Secretary-General and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission called on Somali leaders, on Tuesday, to resume dialogue to resolve outstanding differences… Read more »
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Somalia: Dispute Over Venue Delays Polls Talks
Radio Dalsan, 15 February 2021
Somalia has missed the recently announced resumption of electoral talks between the federal government and the regional state leaders. Read more »
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Somalia: Nation Misses a Vital Meeting With the 'Electorate'
ISS, 12 February 2021
It wasn't even going to be a real one-person, one-vote election. That had been the original plan but had proved too ambitious. So Somalia reverted to its previous practice - an… Read more »
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Somalia: Opposition Presidential Candidates Seek Truce
Nation, 11 February 2021
Somalia's opposition groups are calling for an urgent meeting with President Mohamed Farmaajo and other stakeholders in an attempt to resolve the electoral impasse. Read more »
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Somalia: Somalia Opposition Presidential Candidates Call for Urgent Talks
East African, 11 February 2021
Somalia's opposition groups are calling for an urgent meeting with President Mohamed Farmaajo and other stakeholders in an attempt to resolve the electoral impasse that saw the… Read more »
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Somalia: Farmaajo Calls for Resumption of Poll Talks
Radio Dalsan, 10 February 2021
President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo has announced the resumption of electoral talks in Garowe on February 15. Read more »
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Somalia: UN Calls On Somalia to Resume Talks 'Urgently'
Radio Dalsan, 10 February 2021
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) called on Somalia's political leaders to resume dialogue to find solutions for the political disagreement over the electoral stalemate. Read more »
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Kenya: Kenya Speaks on Somalia Electoral Impasse as Pressure Mounts on Mogadishu
Nation, 10 February 2021
Kenya has joined a growing list of international players in urging Somalia to negotiate an amicable electoral programme and save the region from instability. Read more »
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Somalia: Somalia's Future in Jeopardy Amid Impasse Over Elections
Capital FM, 10 February 2021
The survival of Somalia is facing new uncertainties amid a prolonged impasse over national elections which threaten ongoing efforts to achieve durable peace, stability, economic… Read more »
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Somalia: Farmaajo Schedules Another Meeting Over Poll Stalemate
East African, 10 February 2021
Somalia's President Mohamed Farmaajo has scheduled another meeting with federal state leaders in the latest attempt to resolve an impasse that saw the country miss key election… Read more »
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Somalia: President Is Legally in Office Until Next Polls - Govt Spokesman
Radio Dalsan, 9 February 2021
The Federal Government of Somalia has termed "illegal" claims by the country's opposition that President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo is not to be recognised as the head of state… Read more »
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Somalia: Stabilising Somalia for Elections and What Comes After
Crisis Group, 29 January 2021
As tensions between the federal government and semi-autonomous federal member states escalate, Somalia's February elections are expected to be intensely contested. In this excerpt… Read more »
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Somalia: Does Clan System Undermine Democracy?
DW, 9 February 2021
As the Horn of Africa nation struggles to reach a consensus on this year's general election, the country's controversial clan-based indirect voting system is under scrutiny. Read more »
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Somalia: Which Way for President? Opposition Withdraws Recognition
Nation, 8 February 2021
Somalia's President Mohamed Farmaajo could be facing the most challenging time of his presidential career, exactly four years since he was elected the ninth head of the Horn of… Read more »
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Somalia: Chairperson of AU Commission Calls for Resolution of Electoral Impasse
Amisom, 8 February 2021
The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat continues to closely monitor the developments in Somalia. Read more »
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Somalia: Puntland Not to Recognize Farmaajo Presidency From Monday
Radio Dalsan, 8 February 2021
Puntland regional state has said it will not recognize Farmaajo as Somalia's president after his term expires on Monday. Read more »
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Somalia: Roadside Bombing Kills At Least 13 After Presidential Talks Break Down
DW, 7 February 2021
The attack took place shortly after negotiators failed to end a stalemate over the selection of a new president. Islamist terror group Al-Shabaab took responsibility for the attack… Read more »
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Somalia: Farmaajo Blames Foreign Interference in Collapsed Poll Talks
Radio Dalsan, 6 February 2021
Somalia's President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has accused foreign interference for lack of implementation of 17 September agreement. Read more »
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Somalia: Farmaajo, Madobe Point Fingers At Each Other As Dhusamareb Polls Summit Collapses
Radio Dalsan, 6 February 2021
The consultative meeting between the federal government and federal members states has been concluded without an agreement on Friday in Dhusamareb city the headquarters of Galmudug… Read more »
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Somalia: Al-Shabaab Claims Responsibility for Deadly Blast
Shabelle, 7 February 2021
A bomb blast in central Somalia killed at least a dozen people on Sunday, including a local intelligence chief, according to officials. Read more »
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Somalia: President Convenes Emergency Talks Over Election Crisis
DW, 2 February 2021
Somalia has opened urgent talks with regional authorities to avoid a constitutional crisis. The Horn of Africa nation looks certain to miss a February 8 deadline to elect a new… Read more »
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Somalia: Farmajo Chairs Preliminary Meeting of Consultative Conference
Shabelle, 2 February 2021
The President of Somalia Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo last night chaired a preliminary meeting of the Federal and State Consultative Meetings on Accelerating the Electoral Process in… Read more »
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Somalia: UN Urges Somali Leaders to End Impasse As Farmaajo Convenes National Meeting Over Polls
Radio Dalsan, 31 January 2021
The United Nations has supported the decision by Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo to convene a meeting with the federal government and the federal member's states. Read more »
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Somalia: Tight Security in Dhusamareb Ahead of National Meeting Over Polls
Radio Dalsan, 31 January 2021
Security in Dhusamareb, the administrative capital of Galmudug state has been beefed up ahead of the upcoming federal member states leadership forum. Read more »
Somalia Faces Constitutional Impasse
At least 13 members of Somalia's security forces were killed on Sunday (February 7, 2021) in a roadside bombing attack, shortly after emergency talks failed to end a stalemate over how to select a new president. The bomb hit a convoy belonging to regional intelligence units, a military official said. The convoy had been traveling near the town of Dhusamareeb, which had hosted talks over the country's delayed election. The talks ended without a conclusion just days before the term of President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed - also known as Farmaajo - was set to expire. Mohamed flew back to Mogadishu, and addressed parliament on Saturday. Local news outlet Dalsan Radio reports that Mohamed said there was hope for more meetings on the elections. But Kenya's Daily Nation reports that key stakeholders have started warning they will withdraw recognition of Farmaajo as the head of state, if he chooses to stay on beyond February 8.
The president is elected by lawmakers - made up of 275 members of parliament and 54 senators. But the country has failed to hold the necessary ballot to choose new lawmakers, so no new president can be elected. The mandate of the current president expires on February 8, 2021.
A delegate casts her vote in the electoral process to choose members of parliament into Somalia's House of the People in Mogadishu, Somalia, on 6 December 2016.
InFocus
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Ahead of upcoming elections, women's rights activists and politicians want a 30% quota for female lawmakers, to be enshrined in law. In mid-January, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein ... Read more »
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Somalia's forthcoming elections will unfold amid bitter wrangling among the country's political elites. With the term of President Mohamed Abdullahi ("Farmajo") due to expire early ... Read more »
