Mogadishu (Somalia Today) – The United States will not dictate how Somalis choose their leaders or lead mediation in the country’s latest political dispute, Washington’s top diplomat in Mogadishu has said.
US Chargé d’Affaires to Somalia Justin Davis said Washington had spoken to both the Federal Government of Somalia and the opposition-linked Somali Future Council, but denied that the United States was directing the process.
“We have been talking to both sides for some time now to better understand the situation,” Davis said in an exclusive interview with Dawan Africa.
“We would welcome an opportunity to observe talks between the FGS and the political opposition, but the United States is neither hosting nor leading mediations.”
“The future of Somalia is in the hands of the Somali people and its leaders,” he added. “International actors will not resolve this issue.”
‘Non-interference’
The remarks come amid growing public debate over whether international partners, especially the United States, could pressure Somali leaders as they did during the country’s last election crisis.
During the 2021-2022 electoral standoff, Washington took a far more forceful public line, warning Somali leaders against actions that threatened stability and later imposing visa restrictions on officials accused of undermining the democratic process.
Davis framed the current US position around non-interference, saying Somalis must decide the structure and timing of future elections themselves.
“Our position has not changed: The Somali people should choose their own leaders, and the specific process and timelines of elections are up to them,” he said.
“We are not going to direct Somalis how they should elect their leaders,” he added, citing Washington’s wider effort to reset relations with African countries around “mutually beneficial partnerships.”
But Davis warned that non-interference did not mean indifference, saying any slide into political violence would harm Somalia and US interests.
“No one wishes that political disputes turn violent,” he said. “That would be bad for Somalia, and detrimental to U.S. presence and advancing U.S. interests here. There could be negative impacts for all sides if conditions deteriorate.”
“Having a peaceful opposition is a healthy sign in any society,” he added. “It means there is ample space for all voices. Violence against peaceful protestors is never acceptable.”
Election dispute
Somalia’s latest political standoff has deepened amid disputes over constitutional changes, election timelines, the role of federal member states and the planned shift toward direct elections.
The federal government says direct elections are necessary to move Somalia beyond the clan-based indirect selection model that has shaped national politics for decades.
Opposition leaders say the process must rest on broad consensus. They accuse President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of pushing ahead unilaterally and using the election agenda to extend its time in office.
They also argue that universal suffrage is not yet feasible across Somalia, while the government says recent local elections in Mogadishu and South West State have have proved that direct voting is both technically and security-wise feasible.
Davis said both sides appeared to accept that Somalia would eventually move toward direct elections, but said the dispute centred on how that transition should happen.
“I think both sides agree that some form of direct elections is inevitable,” he said. “So, the dispute centers on how, on what timeline, and under whose leadership direct elections are instituted.”
“What’s also important is that there is a timely and practical electoral process followed by a peaceful transfer of power,” he added.
Somalia held a controversial local election in Mogadishu in December, described as the country’s first one-person, one-vote poll since 1969.
The vote took place across Mogadishu’s 16 districts, with more than 900,000 registered voters, but opposition parties rejected it as flawed and one-sided.
The federal government described the exercise as a step toward restoring direct voting, while critics said it risked deepening political mistrust unless leaders anchored it in a wider national agreement.
Call for compromise
Davis said Washington had urged both the government and opposition leaders to talk and compromise, while stressing that neither side should expect to secure all of its demands.
“No one expects any side to emerge from talks with everything they want,” he said. “Compromise requires communication.”
He said leaders should resolve disagreements over “property disputes, electoral timelines, the relationship between the federal and member state governments” and other issues through dialogue, not threats or violence.
“Good faith dialogue, without resorting to threats or violence, is the best way to resolve these disagreements and help the country move forward,” he said.
He also said Somalia’s leaders had a responsibility to show the public that they were focused on the national interest.
“The international community looks forward to seeing progress in the talks this week between the FGS and the political opposition,” Davis said. “It is imperative that Somalis see their leaders doing everything they can to move the country forward.”
“The question is whether leaders will give Somalis a fighting chance or just a fight,” he added. “This country has been through some very difficult fights. Peace, opportunity, and prosperity should win the next battles.”
US security interests
Davis said the United States remained focused on counterterrorism and security, including preventing Somalia from becoming a safe haven for groups that could threaten the United States or its interests.
“We are focused on countering terrorism and promoting security to ensure Somalia does not become a safe haven for people who wish to harm the United States or its interests,” he said.
He said Washington was also working with the federal government, federal member state leaders and civil society on immigration, law enforcement, dismantling terrorist finance networks and promoting safe opportunities for US business interests.
But Davis said those goals required a stable political environment.
“There must be a peaceful and stable environment conducive to international partners’ ability to advance these objectives,” he said.
He also noted that Washington continues to warn American citizens against travelling to Somalia, where the United States maintains a longstanding “Do Not Travel” advisory.
