By Hafsa Mursal
BAIDOA- The National Consultative Council meeting has on Friday entered its second day in Baidoa, the interim administrative capital of South West State.
The meeting which is presided over by president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud laid analysis on the reports submitted by the committees responsible for strengthening the federalization of finance, elections and national security structure.
South West State interior Minister Hassan Abdikadir Mohamed who spoke to BBC Somali said the meeting will also majorly focus on the ongoing onslaught against Al-Shabaab in the country and commencement of similar uprising against the group in South West and Jubbaland States.
The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia Mr. Hamse Abdi Barre, the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Salah Jama and the presidents of the regional governments, South-West Mr. Abdazis Hassan Mohamed, Hirshabelle Mr. Ali Gudlawe Hussein, Jubbaland Mr. Ahmed Mohamed Islam, Galmudug Mr. Ahmed Abdi Kariye and the Governor of Banadir Region and the Mayor of Mogadishu Mr. Yusuf Hussein Jimale.
Conspicuously absent from the meeting is the president of Puntland, Said Abdullahi Deni, who gave a wide berth to the forum due entanglement of dispute with the National Government over the federalisation of the security.
A committee drawn from the National and the regional governments excluding Puntland met in Baidoa, the meeting before the forum discussed the unification of the country’s elections and other issues.
After a lengthy deliberations , the committees unanimously agreed;
1- The South West and Puntland presidential elections take place in January 2024.
2- The presidential elections of Galmudug, Hirshabelle and Jubba Land administrations take place in December 2024.
3- The election of the President & Parliament of Somalia takes place in May 2026.
However, the parties failed to agree on the type of elections that will take place inĀ Somalia in 2026, leaving it to the leaders of the National Government and the regional governments that are currently meeting in Baidoa.