In the heart of Mogadishu this week, something quietly historic is unfolding. The hallways of Hotel Decale have become the stage for an open, inclusive, and Somali-led national dialogue. This is not just another political gathering. It is The National Consultative Forum, a national table, open to all who believe Somalia’s future must be determined by Somalis themselves.
When President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud called for this consultation, he extended an invitation to 73 individuals from across the political, regional, and civic spectrum. These included former leaders, elected officials, traditional representatives, and those currently mandated to shape Somalia’s future. Fifty-eight accepted the invitation and two excused themselves. The remainder chose not to attend. That is their right.
But let us be clear: you cannot claim to want dialogue and refuse to show up for it. You cannot decry exclusion while turning away from the very process built to include you.
This forum is not a secretive, partisan affair. It is a gogal furan , an open mat, rooted in Somali tradition. The only requirement for participation is sincerity. The only condition is commitment to Somalia’s collective future.
For far too long, Somalia’s national conversations have been dictated by outsiders. Sometimes well-meaning, often pragmatic, but always external. And while we are grateful for our international partners, the truth remains, no one else can build a Somali state but Somalis.
This is why the current dialogue matters. The Somali government is not just convening this forum, it is participating in it as an equal. The agenda is straightforward: complete the provisional constitution, transition to one person, one vote (1P1V) elections, and continue our existential fight against Al-Shabaab.
These are not abstract policy goals. They are the minimum foundation for a stable, sovereign, and democratic Somalia. And yet, these very goals are what some in the opposition have refused to discuss. Instead, they seek to reroute the conversation through international intermediaries, avoiding direct dialogue while calling for it publicly.
This is not leadership. It is delay. And Somalia cannot afford more delay. There is no path to national progress that does not pass through compromise. The government is ready to have difficult conversations. We are prepared to reflect on our own record over the last three years. We are even open to amendments and revisions, within the legal processes that exist.
But we cannot build a system where some are bound by rules and others are not. One person, one vote is not a slogan, it is a destination. Puntland has taken steps toward it. Somaliland has its own model. Why shouldn’t the rest of the country have the same opportunity?
By 2032, Somalia should not still be circling the same debates. We should not still be discussing interim frameworks or transitional arrangements. We should be electing governments through popular vote, resolving disputes through courts, and delivering basic services without fear or interference.
That journey begins here. Now. Around this National Consultative Forum. To those still hesitant, the invitation remains open. But time is not. Somalia needs decisions, not delays. Unity, not avoidance. Dialogue, not deadlock.
We don’t need to agree on everything. But we must agree that Somalia’s future will be decided by Somalis, and no one else.
The forum is open. Come join.
By Shakur Shidane
