Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud concluded the National Consultative Conference in Baidoa on Friday. Southwest President Abdiaziz Laftagareen, Hirshabelle President Ali Gudlawe, Galmudug President Ahmed QoorQoor, Jubbaland President Ahmed Madobe, Prime Minister Hamza Barre, and Mayor of Mogadishu Yusuf Jima’ale attended the meeting.
During the conference, regional and federal leaders reached agreements on several issues, including completing the national security architecture and adopting fiscal federalism principles. This includes creating key agencies like the National Revenue Authority and the Appropriation and Revenue Mobilization Commission. The leaders also discussed the topic of one-person, one-vote elections and agreed to continue talks at the subsequent NCC meeting in May 2023.
FGS and FMS also adopted a schedule that defines the responsibility of setting tax policy between the Federal Government and the regional states. However, they did not provide further details in their communiqué.
The Council recommended that regional states complete the establishment of administrations for liberated and soon-to-be liberated areas. This aligns with the mission of the stabilization program and decentralizing government services.
The National Consultative Council praised the successive achievements of the armed forces and the Somali people in eradicating al Shabab. The Council also agreed to accelerate efforts to stop drug gangs and coordinate various efforts in different parts of the country.
Additionally, the leaders agreed to send a committee of members of the FMS leaders, namely Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen, Ahmed Abdi Kariye Qoorqoor, and Ali Abdullahi Hussein Guudlawe, to the Puntland Government to take part in discussions aimed at completing the rebuilding of the country’s government.
Notably, Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni did not attend the conference. In a statement released on January 9, Puntland announced that it is “now acting as an independent government,” accusing the federal government of attempting to restore a centralized administration.
Finally, the Council called for peace between Somaliland and SSC-Khatumo over the ongoing fighting in Las Anod. The Council condemned anyone who was part of the instigation of the war and the continuation of the conflict. The Council suggested that dialogue is the only way to solve the current problem.
