Mogadishu (SD) – Presidents of Jubbaland and Puntland held a private meeting with politicians from the Northern Regions last night led by the Deputy Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government Mahdi Mohamed Guled Khadar.

Reports say that the meeting lasted for hours, addressing concerns regarding Somaliland regional seats the Electoral Commission.

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, reportedly thanked Presidents Ahmed Mohamed Islam Ahmed Madobe and Said Abdullahi Deni and accepted their efforts to resolve the issue revolving around Somaliland representation.

In a memorandum of understanding reached in Baidoa on February 17, 2021, It was agreed that the appointment of members of the Somaliland Electoral Commission will be divided between the Speaker of the Upper House Abdi Hashi and Mahdi Guled.

However, the Speaker of the Upper House Abdi Hashi insists on selecting all members of the Northern Electoral Commission.

The meeting comes as Somali leaders reopen a conference in Mogadishu to discuss the country’s electoral process, chief among them the Somaliland electoral commission issue.