MOGADISHU, Somalia – President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Tuesday presided over the opening session of the National Consultative Council (NCC) at the presidential palace in Mogadishu, against the backdrop of a continued boycott by the leaders of Puntland and Jubbaland.
The high-level meeting convenes top officials from the Federal Government and Federal Member States to deliberate on critical national matters, including security, electoral processes, and intergovernmental cooperation.
Notably, this session marks the first official participation of SSC-Khatumo leader Abdiqadir Ahmed Aw-Ali (Firdhiye) in the NCC, following the federal government’s recent formal recognition of SSC-Khatumo as a member state.
A key item on the agenda is the ongoing voter registration exercise in Mogadishu, where thousands have already enrolled in preparation for local council elections slated for June. The registration effort is viewed as a significant step toward implementing Somalia’s long-anticipated transition to a one-person, one-vote electoral system.
Despite these developments, Puntland and Jubbaland continue to abstain from the talks, citing federal overreach and breaches of the provisional constitution. Puntland has reiterated its demand for adherence to the rule of law and has launched independent electoral processes outside the federal framework.
The international community has called on Somali leaders to engage in constructive dialogue and reach a consensus on key political and constitutional reforms to advance state-building efforts and ensure sustained international backing.
