MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – International Community has called on Somali leaders to hold an inclusive discussion on the modality of the upcoming election.
In a statement, UN, AU, IGAD, EU, US, UK, Denmark, Ethiopia, European Union, Finland, Italy, Kenya, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, and Uganda have jointly welcomed the recent meeting between President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo and two former Presidents, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Sheikh Sharif.
During the meeting leaders discussed Somalia’s priorities and the importance of preserving open political space.
The international Community lauded the consultations between President Farmaajo and more than 50 political parties, as a positive step to foster inclusive dialogue ahead of the 2020 ‘one-person, one-vote’ elections.
The statement urged the country’s stakeholders to enhance the efforts to hold peaceful elections in the country.
“We encourage further engagement among key stakeholders at both the national and Federal Member State level to ensure inclusive dialogue with a view to broad consensus on peaceful, free, fair, transparent and credible ‘one-person, one-vote; elections which will be a historic moment in Somalia’s state-building process,” the statement reads in part.
Last week, Halima Ismail Ibrahim, chair of the National Independent Electoral Commission had termed the country’s clan-based power-sharing model, a temporary measure to support preparations towards one-person, one-vote.
She described 2020 as “a pivotal year” for Somalis, who have been denied the right to political participation for five decades.
She said that it also will mark a milestone for the international community, which has worked to promote democracy and good governance in her country.
Her remarks were welcomed by members of the Security Council and reiterated the need for the Electoral Security Task Force to meet and to set out a plan as soon as possible for the creation of a safe and secure environment for elections.
Parliamentary and presidential elections took place in late 2016 and early 2017 through a system of indirect suffrage.
Somalia last held one-person, one-vote elections in March 1969. That October, the government was overthrown in a bloodless military coup.
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