The progress made in Somalia’s elections represents an unstoppable momentum to complete the process as soon as possible, according to the country’s international partners.
The partners, which include the UN, the African Union, the European Union, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and more than 20 countries, said in a joint statement that 91 percent of the seats in the House of the People have now been chosen.
They urged Hirshabelle and Jubaland states, which are the only ones yet to complete the House of the People electoral process, to do so.
“As the focus now shifts to the convening of parliament in Mogadishu — and the election of parliamentary speakers and then the national president,” the statement read in part, “we call on Somalia’s political leaders to ensure that these processes reflect wide consensus.”
The Somalia elections, which were supposed to take place a year ago but were postponed due to disagreements over how they should be held and infighting between the president and prime minister.
After yet another delay in the parliamentary elections, the US government imposed visa restrictions on Somali officials and individuals it accused of “undermining the democratic process in Somalia.”
The country’s leaders have been under a lot of pressure to resolve their differences through dialogue in order to hold elections and form a unified national government.
Following the elections, leaders can “address other urgent national priorities, such as responding to the devastating drought and building Somalia’s security and prosperity in the years ahead,” according to international partners.