Mogadishu (Somalia Today) – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud met with former head of state Sharif Sheikh Ahmed in Mogadishu on Sunday, an outreach effort his allies describe as a bid to lower political tensions ahead of elections expected in 2026.
According to a statement released late Sunday by Sharif’s Himilo Qaran party, Mohamud visited the ex-president’s home, where the two agreed to keep direct channels of communication open after a period of cooling relations.
The party said the meeting addressed various topics, noting that “issues including personal grievances were discussed,” and that “these matters were resolved.”
Crucially, the party reported that Mohamud expressed his desire “to hold a national consultative conference” — a proposal the opposition has repeatedly demanded — to bring political stakeholders together.
According to the statement, the president asked Sharif “to take a visible role in ensuring that the conference becomes a success and leads to a national agreement.”
In response, Sharif — the seventh president of the Federal Republic of Somalia — affirmed his readiness to assist. The statement said he is “ready to take part in any effort that can lead to Somalis coming together.”
Urging political actors to avoid escalation, Sharif emphasised the importance of “unity, compromise, and genuine dialogue” to resolve the current political conflicts.
Push for a united front
The meeting comes after Israel formally recognised Somaliland, Somalia’s breakaway region, as an independent state late last month. Somalia condemned the move, and the issue was discussed at the United Nations.
Somaliland declared independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Somali state. While it has run its own institutions and elections for decades, it has lacked international recognition, and Mogadishu insists the region remains part of Somalia.
Israel defended the move at the UN Security Council as a way to open cooperation rather than antagonise Somalia, though several states questioned the timing.
Turkey, a key partner that trains Somali forces, denounced the decision as “illegal and unacceptable” during a joint appearance by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Mohamud in Istanbul.
Although the Himilo Qaran statement did not mention Somaliland or Israel, sources close to the presidency told Somalia Today that Mohamud is seeking a unified position against the recognition and wants political leaders to prioritise Somalia’s territorial integrity.
Sources said the president believes a common stance could help calm tensions in Mogadishu amid ongoing political disputes over elections.
Opposition mobilisation
Domestic politics remain volatile as the 2026 elections approach, with deep divisions over timelines, the voting model, and the transition from clan-based selection to universal suffrage.
Mogadishu held municipal elections in late December — a step described as a move toward universal suffrage — but politicians still contest the national roadmap. Authorities have yet to resolve the security and logistics needed to expand direct elections beyond the capital.
Opposition leaders have recently stepped up coordination with Puntland and Jubaland, two federal member states that have clashed with Mogadishu over power-sharing.
Sources told Somalia Today that the opposition coalition, the Somali Salvation Forum, is preparing a major conference in Garowe to address the political standoff, including a strategy meeting that will bring together opposition figures and regional leaders.
Mohamud has previously accepted the need for national dialogue in public remarks while rejecting threats, warning that political brinkmanship could deepen insecurity.
The president told a joint sitting of parliament last week that his government will pursue “all necessary” diplomatic and legal steps to defend the nation’s unity, branding Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as an “unacceptable assault” on Somalia’s sovereignty.
With Al-Shabaab still capable of deadly attacks, analysts warn that elite political confrontation risks stalling security gains.
