World urges Somali leaders to resolve election dispute

MOGADISHU, Somalia

The US and Somalia's international partners on Friday urged the Somali federal government and regional leaders to resolve the outstanding issues concerning the elections in the Horn of Africa country.

The US Embassy in the Somali capital Mogadishu, in a statement Friday, urged Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed and other Somali leaders, including Said Abdullahi Deni, Abdiaziz Laftagareen, and Ali Guudlaawe, to resolve outstanding issues to enable the holding of peaceful elections that the Somali people deserve.

There should be no partial elections or parallel processes, added the statement.

Somalia's international partners, in a statement on Friday on the ongoing election deadlock in Somalia, called for a single agreed-upon election process that will be conducted peacefully with the protection of political space and media freedom, and guarantees 30% women’s quota, and results in a credible and inclusive outcome that serves the national interest.

The international partners comprise the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Ethiopia, European Union, France, Germany, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Italy, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the UK, the US, and the UN.

“Holding timely, credible elections is a vital element of the partnership between Somalia and the international community,” said the statement.

The international partners urged all Somali leaders to make fair compromises necessary to ensure credible elections in the country.

They also welcomed the nomination of state-level Electoral Implementation Teams for Jubaland and Puntland, presented to the central government on Thursday.

The two states have been critical of the federal government's previous decisions on the election.