Monday June 9, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — The Somali Salvation Forum, a coalition of key opposition figures, expressed skepticism Monday about upcoming political meetings scheduled for June 15 and 22, warning that President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud may be seeking support for unilateral decisions on elections and national security.
In a statement released Monday, the Forum said it is still waiting for the president to provide a genuinely inclusive platform for dialogue aimed at resolving the country’s deepening political crisis. The opposition bloc called for unity among national institutions to confront al-Shabab and other militant threats, which they described as a danger to “our religion, our country, and our government.”
"The Forum has consistently advocated for unity and national solidarity," the statement read. "Somalia must be protected from political uncertainty and fragmentation."
President Mohamud has invited political stakeholders to attend a national consultation forum in Mogadishu. According to the presidency, the forum will focus on five key issues: the security situation and counterterrorism efforts, democratization, the electoral process, finalization of the provisional constitution, and efforts toward national unity and reconciliation.
Despite the invitation, opposition leaders have criticized the process as lacking transparency and inclusivity. They noted that the president’s office has yet to publicly share the agenda for the meetings or outline how different political groups will be represented.
The criticism comes as Puntland and Jubbaland, two federal member states, have suspended ties with the federal government in recent months over disputes related to power-sharing and governance.