Saturday September 10, 2022
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the country's five regional state leaders are to hold National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting in Mogadishu on Monday.
The meeting comes as Mogadishu seeks to shore up its cooperation with the Federal Member States ahead of President Mohamud's trip to New York for the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
Jubbaland leader Ahmed Madobe, Southwest leader Abdiaziz Mohamed Laftagaren, Galmudug leader Ahmed QorQoor and Hirshabelle leader Ali Hussein Gudlawe arrived in Mogadishu on Saturday. In contrast, the leader of Puntland, Said Deni, is expected to arrive in the capital on Sunday.
Preliminary reports indicate that the Federal and Federal Member State leaders will discuss issues including bilateral cooperation, security, the fight against Al-Shabaab, and accelerating drought response.
Last month, the five regional states' Ministries of Finance suspended cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Finance after they accused it of violating the previous agreements.
The primary source of friction appears to be the allocation of resources and aid, which has placed the central government in Mogadishu at odds with the Federal Member States.
Government forces, alongside anti-al Shabaab militia intensified security operations against al Shabaab in several parts of the Hiiraan and Galgadud region. At the same time, the UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths has warned that two parts Southwest regional state are on the brink of famine after being hit by four failed rainy seasons that have caused a devastating drought.
At least 1 million people in Somalia have been displaced by the worst drought in decades, driven by climate change, which is also affecting the wider Horn of Africa, including Ethiopia and Kenya.