MOGADISHU — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Saturday, December 20, 2025, said the federal government is ready for dialogue and compromise with opposition leaders, as an opposition-backed conference continued for a third day in the southern city of Kismayo.
Speaking in Mogadishu, the president urged participants in the Somali Future Council meeting to produce clear, constructive, and realistic proposals that could form the basis for negotiations with the federal government. He stressed that political activity had not been restricted and that the government had not blocked travel to Kismayo.
“If those meeting in Kismayo unite and reach a position, they should present something the Somali people can understand,” President Mohamud said. “Bring forward proposals the people can accept. We are ready to compromise.”
The president revealed that discussions between the government and opposition figures have been ongoing for nearly two months, focusing on what he described as critical national issues, including governance and the electoral process. He noted that areas of agreement reached during earlier talks were submitted to the Federal Parliament for legal review and possible implementation, while other proposals were rejected.
President Mohamud questioned why consensus could not be achieved through talks in Mogadishu but appeared to emerge only through parallel political forums outside the capital. He warned that rigid political positions risk prolonging a political stalemate at a sensitive time for the country.
He also cautioned against any escalation of political disputes into violence, emphasizing that Somalia must avoid both dictatorship and chaos.
“Somalia cannot accept dictatorship, but it also cannot afford chaos,” he said, calling for political engagement based on dialogue, consultation, and mutual respect.
The Somali Future Council conference in Kismayo has brought together politicians critical of the federal government to discuss the country’s political future and the roadmap toward upcoming elections, adding pressure on the government to engage in broader negotiations.
