MOGADISHU — Ongoing political efforts in Somalia led to a tentative deal from opposition figures to hold consultative talks at the presidential palace, Villa Somalia, aimed at resolving escalating disputes over elections and constitutional reforms.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre was reported to have held a closed-door meeting late Monday with leaders of Puntland and Jubaland, who have been in Mogadishu in recent days.
The meeting, which was not open to the media, focused on persuading the regional leaders to accept Villa Somalia as the venue for proposed talks between President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the Somali Future Forum, an opposition-leaning political platform that includes figures from Puntland and Jubaland.
The planned meeting is intended to address a deepening political rift centered on the country’s electoral framework and proposed amendments to the provisional constitution — issues that opposition groups say have been handled without sufficient consultation.
Knowledgeable sources said the federal government has signaled flexibility over the organization of the talks in a bid to reach a broader political consensus and restore cooperation between the central government and federal member states.
Relations between Mogadishu and some regional administrations have been strained for months, raising concerns among observers about political stability in the Horn of Africa nation as it navigates security challenges and state-building efforts.
