The president of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland, President Muse Bihi Abdi held a meeting on Thursday with Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro, the presidential candidate of the Wadani Party, and other prominent politicians, including Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, the Chairman of the ruling Kulmiye Party and Minister of Internal Affairs.
The meeting, which took place at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa, focused on crucial matters pertaining to the upcoming elections in Somaliland.
The President and leaders of the opposition Wadani Party engaged in constructive discussions regarding the electoral process and expressed their shared commitment to ensuring a fair and transparent election.
A key point of agreement was the importance of providing support to the National Electoral Commission in all matters related to the electoral procedures.
The resolution of a long-standing electoral dispute was also discussed during the meeting. On 30 August, President Muse Bihi Abdi and opposition parties in Somaliland reached an agreement, putting an end to the contentious debate over the sequencing of the elections for new political organizations and the presidential election. As per the agreement, the presidential election and the elections for political organizations will now take place on the same day, effectively addressing the concerns raised by both sides.
President Bihi had previously advocated for the election of political organizations to precede the presidential election, while the opposition parties held a differing viewpoint.
