MOGADISHU – The United States has publicly expressed its strong opposition to key resolutions that emerged from Somalia’s recently concluded National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting in Mogadishu. The criticism was delivered by the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, who issued a firm warning to both federal and regional Somali leaders, stressing the need for inclusive dialogue in shaping the country’s political future.
The U.S. statement followed the release of a joint communiqué from the NCC meeting, a summit that notably lacked participation from the regional states of Jubaland and Puntland, both of which boycotted the event citing a lack of genuine consultation.
In a brief but pointed message shared on X (formerly Twitter), the U.S. official confirmed that Washington is closely monitoring the political developments in Somalia and is deeply concerned about attempts to consolidate political power and implement structural changes to the country’s federal system and electoral framework.
“All stakeholders must be involved in decisions on federal reforms and electoral processes. Decisions made without broad-based support will lack legitimacy and risk undermining efforts to tackle Somalia’s security and governance challenges,” the U.S. diplomat stated.
The NCC meeting, hosted at Villa Somalia in Mogadishu and chaired by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, brought together leaders from South West, Hirshabelle, Galmudug, and the newly declared SSC-Khaatumo. The summit aimed to solidify cooperation between the federal government and regional states and discuss key reforms including:
Restructuring the federal system
Establishing a unified approach to national elections
Strengthening joint efforts against Al-Shabaab
However, the absence of Jubaland and Puntland leaders cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the summit’s outcomes.
Both Jubaland and Puntland accused the federal government of pushing through unilateral decisions without consulting all stakeholders. They argued that the current political roadmap was being dictated from the center without regard for regional autonomy or consensus-building.
Puntland, in particular, had earlier declared it was suspending participation in federal processes until a new political agreement could be reached. Jubaland echoed similar sentiments, warning that any attempt to impose top-down changes to the federal structure would destabilize the country.
Opposition parties and civil society organizations have also voiced concerns about the political process, warning that fast-tracked constitutional and electoral reforms without national consensus could provoke new political crises and widen existing rifts.
Critics argue that the proposed changes risk entrenching federal overreach and eroding the spirit of power-sharing that underpins Somalia’s fragile federal arrangement.
The latest U.S. statement is among the clearest messages from the international community urging Somalia to pursue inclusive governance. Western allies and multilateral organizations, including the European Union and the United Nations, have repeatedly called for genuine national dialogue on reform matters.
The U.S. warning significantly increases the diplomatic pressure on Somalia’s leadership to pause unilateral political maneuvers and return to the table with all federal member states for collaborative decision-making.
