Somalia’s federal government and regional state leaders finally signed an agreement on Thursday, ending an impasse that has delayed the holding of both presidential and parliamentary elections in the country.
Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble and leaders of five federal member states alongside the governor of Banadir Regional Administration pledged to conduct free and fair elections within 60 days.
Speaking after signing the revised agreement, Roble said that Thursday marked a historic moment and turned a golden page for Somalia’s state-building and governance history.
Roble said the agreement was reached on all contentious issues including the Gedo region, Somaliland, and on the vetting of the structure of the election committees at the federal and state levels as well as the security of the country’s elections.
He pledged that his government will make every effort to ensure free and fair elections in the country, calling on all electoral stakeholders and the Somali community to play their part in making the elections a success.
Roble also expressed his appreciation to the leaders of five federal member states and the governor of Banadir for their role in the election agreement.
“They have truly shown a great degree of flexibility, compromise, patience, and leadership,” he said.
The prime minister said showing unity and compromise will enable the country to overcome the political and security challenges it currently faces.
President Mohamed Farmajo who is seeking re-election for the second term in office was until Thursday under pressure after the Feb. 8 election date passed without resolution of issues related to how the vote should be conducted in Somalia.
On the issue of Somaliland, it was agreed that the prime minister will be in charge of observing Somaliland elections while the senate speaker and his deputy will appoint eight members of the state-level electoral committees, one federal-level electoral committee, and one disputes-resolution committee member to supervise elections of representatives from Somaliland.
Xinhua
