Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud chaired the 4th meeting of the National Consultative Council of the Federal Government and its member states which enters its second day on Tuesday.
The leaders are discussing the federalization of the judiciary and the division of powers at the federal and state level, which was one of the articles of communiqué from the 3rd National Forum Conference held in Mogadishu on September 12.
The federal and regional state leaders will also discuss the ongoing offensive against Al-Shabaab terrorists, in which the armed forces have successfully liberated many areas in the country.
The regional and federal leaders are also expected to discuss the one-year extension for President Abdiaziz Laftagaren following clashes in Baidoa between Southwest state forces and militia loyal to the opposition candidate.
Southwest regional state lawmakers blamed the federal government for the Friday clash in Baidoa, the state’s administrative capital, and urged the federal government to stop interfering in local political affairs.
The lawmakers claimed that the National Army Forces were being used to foment unrest in the Southwest and demanded that the federal government troops be taken back to the frontlines.
All of the regional leaders, with the exception of President Deni, have extended their mandates by one year.
The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia, Hamse Abdi Barre, Deputy Prime Minister Salah Jama, Presidents of the Regional Governments, Jubbaland Ahmed Mohamed Islam, South West Abdazis Hassan Mohamed, Puntland Saeed Abdullahi Deni, Galmudug Ahmed Abdi Kariye, Hirshabele Ali Gudlawe Hussein and the Governor of Banadir Region and the Mayor of Mogadishu Yusuf Hussein Jimale.
