The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday demanded that Somalia's feuding president and parliament reach agreement quickly on holding elections by August when the mandate for the country's transitional government ends.
Somali lawmakers — who in February unilaterally extended their own mandate by three years — have been vowing for months to hold a presidential vote despite the president's objections. The president wants to extend his term for a year without a vote.
The Security Council expressed concern in a statement after an open meeting at "the discord" between the executive and legislative leaders "and its impact on the political and the security situation."
It urged the leaders to reach agreement on holding elections for president and speaker of parliament "as soon as possible" and warned that without such elections "there can be no extension" of the transitional government's mandate.
Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991 when warlords overthrew a longtime dictator and then turned on each other, plunging the country into chaos and anarchy. A transitional government, established in 2004 and backed by about 9,000 African Union troops, has been fighting an Islamist insurgent group, al-Shabab.
Augustine Mahiga, the top U.N. envoy in Somalia, told the council that government and AU forces "have made significant territorial gains in Mogadishu," the capital, and are also making "impressive gains in the central, western and southern frontiers" of the strategically-located country on the Horn of Africa.
But he said disagreement over the election issue between the legislative and executive branches of government "is causing a political paralysis in Mogadishu."
"There is, therefore, a need to develop urgently a consensus on the when and how to hold elections," Mahiga said.
Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Abdulahi Mohamed told the council that President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed has asked parliament to reconsider its decision to extend its term, but the speaker has so far refused.
"The most disturbing consequence of this situation is the descent into political instability at precisely the time when the security situation is on the verge of a breakthrough and governance is taking effective strides forward," he said.
Mohamed said his government believes "this is the worst possible time to be distracted by untenable election processes and the divisive campaigning that will inevitably take place." He said the election diversion will also offer al-Shabab "an opportunity it will take full advantage of."
Therefore, he said, the president has proposed extending the transitional federal institutions for 12 months in the belief that a further year of political stability and progress on security "will create a chance for real and fair elections in which potentially the public can take part."
Mahiga said he tried "to rekindle dialogue" between the two branches at a meeting in Nairobi in April but the feuding lawmakers and government leaders boycotted it. The Security Council is heading to Africa late next week and members are expecting to meet Somalia's executive and legislative leaders in Nairobi at the end of their trip to reiterate their demand for elections in person.
Mahiga said he is "heartened" that the government is convening a meeting of key parties in Mogadishu from June 11-16.
The Security Council also welcomed that meeting and urged "all Somali stakeholders" to participate and play a role in finalizing arrangements for ending the transition by the Aug. 20 deadline.
Source: The Winnipeg Free Press
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