MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Somali Salvation Forum on Thursday strongly condemned the federal government’s recent move to distance itself from key international partners, calling the decision isolating and harmful to a country heavily reliant on global support.
In a press release, the Forum accused President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s administration of attempting to divert international attention from his growing domestic political isolation and failure to engage in meaningful dialogue with opposition stakeholders.
“The president has centralized power, dissolved the National Consultative Council, and replaced its members with loyalists from his political party at a time when Somalia is entering a crucial transitional phase,” the statement said.
The Forum said the president’s actions have led to increasing political instability and undermined national unity, just as the country needs inclusive discussions to resolve disputes over elections and constitutional reform.
“Evidence of power centralization is clear,” the statement read. “The National Consultative Council has been dismantled, parliament is under tight executive control, military force has been used against federal member states, and the opposition and independent media are under pressure.”
The Forum further warned that weakening state institutions and dismantling long-standing collaboration with international partners jeopardizes Somalia’s progress on democracy and state-building. The group accused President Mohamud of abandoning the pledges he made during his 2022 election campaign, including a promise to build a Somalia at peace with itself and the world.
The group urged the federal government to reconsider its stance and pursue inclusive, consensus-based solutions to political disputes, national security, and the ongoing threat from al-Shabab militants.
The statement came just days after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a formal letter to United Nations envoy James Swan, requesting the dissolution of the C6+ coordination framework. The framework includes major international actors such as the African Union, European Union, IGAD, and the United Nations, which have supported Somalia since 2010.
Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Balcad said foreign influence over Somalia’s diplomatic affairs threatens the country’s sovereignty and the credibility of its state institutions. He called on the international community to halt the C6+ mechanism, sometimes informally referred to as the “Sixth Clan.”
