Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi met with James Swan, the Acting Special Representative of the United Nations in Mogadishu, on Saturday to discuss the newly established United Nations Transitional Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS), which has replaced UNSOM.
The meeting held a day after the official launch of UNTMIS on November 1, focused on Somalia’s new role in the UN Security Council, security initiatives, and the National Consultative Council (NCC) dialogue.
Both sides agreed on establishing a joint roadmap to align UNTMIS objectives with Somalia’s strategic goals for regional stability and development to reinforce Somalia’s leadership in advancing peace and security.
UNTMIS, as a transitional mission, will prioritize support for free and fair elections and human rights protection within its first year. Certain responsibilities are expected to transfer gradually to Somali authorities by the end of year one.
Ambassador Fiqi also briefed Swan on recent progress in the Ankara Talks with Ethiopia over a diplomatic dispute and reiterated the government’s commitment to establishing a one-person, one-vote electoral model, pending consensus within the NCC.
The National Consultative Council (NCC) agreement, endorsed by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the Mogadishu mayor, and three regional leaders, sets a timeline for elections, with local, regional, and municipal elections scheduled for June 2025 and parliamentary and presidential elections for September 2025. The NCC also proposed forming a National Independent Electoral Commission to oversee the electoral process.
Despite recent reforms, including a universal suffrage bill passed in March, key regional leaders, such as Puntland’s Said Abdullahi Deni and Jubbaland’s Ahmed Madobe, have publicly opposed the NCC’s electoral timeline.
