Mogadishu, Somalia (SONNA) – President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has initiated Somalia’s most comprehensive consultation exercise since 2022, convening regional leaders, intellectuals, and civil society for a two-tiered national dialogue starting May 1st. The move responds to mounting security successes against al-Shabaab, which now require synchronized political and administrative strategies across federal and state levels.
The National Consultation Council’s primary agenda includes operationalizing the “Final Push” military campaign to eliminate remaining terrorist strongholds, particularly in Middle Shabelle and Jubba regions. Concurrently, technical committees will draft frameworks for interim local governance in liberated zones—a persistent friction point between Mogadishu and federal member states.
Beyond security, the President’s parallel meetings with scholars and business leaders aim to forge consensus on constitutional amendments ahead of the planned one-person-one-vote elections. Analysts view this dual-track approach as critical to preventing post-liberation vacuums that could reverse military gains.
With Puntland recently rejoining federal institutions after a year-long boycott, the forum also serves as a trust-building platform. The international community, including ATMIS and UNSOM, has welcomed the initiative as timely for Somalia’s political transition.
