Gedo — The Vice President of Jubbaland, Mahmoud Sayid Aden, held a virtual meeting with officials from the United Nations Political Office in Somalia to discuss the growing humanitarian and political crisis in the Gedo region.
According to a statement from the Jubbaland administration, the meeting focused on what Aden described as “escalating interference” by the Federal Government of Somalia in Gedo, including the alleged disruption of security, closure of regional airports, and suspension of public services and development projects.
Aden warned that actions taken by Villa Somalia — the seat of the federal presidency — are destabilizing the region and could lead to further humanitarian fallout if not urgently addressed.
“The Federal Government has undermined the federal constitution agreed upon by the Somali people and is actively working to dismantle the federal system,” he told UN officials during the meeting.
The discussions also touched on longstanding clan tensions in Luuq district, where efforts for reconciliation have stalled. The Jubbaland Vice President briefed the UN team on ongoing challenges and stressed the need for renewed mediation.
Both parties agreed to accelerate reconciliation efforts, with plans for a peace conference in Luuq to be held within the month. The United Nations pledged technical and logistical support for the initiative.
In his closing remarks, Aden called on community leaders across Jubbaland to resist what he termed “divisive federal agendas,” emphasizing that:
“A few individuals with narrow interests cannot be allowed to determine the fate of the people of Gedo.”
The meeting comes amid deepening political tensions between the Federal Government and the Jubbaland administration, particularly in the contested Gedo region — an area that has long been at the center of Somalia’s complex federal disputes.
