MOGADISHU, Somalia – Somalia is entering a pivotal week in its political crisis. Diplomatic sources confirm that the international community—under the C6+ umbrella—is set to convene in Mogadishu this Thursday to assess the country’s deepening political standoff.
The high-level meeting, comprising Somalia’s principal international partners, will focus on forging a unified diplomatic response to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s recently announced political dialogue.
Members of the National Salvation Forum—a coalition of prominent opposition figures including former presidents, prime ministers, and parliamentary speakers are advocating for broader political inclusion.
Representatives from the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, United Nations, African Union, and IGAD—key members of the C6+ group—are expected to deliberate on their engagement strategy as the country’s political fault lines deepen.
At the heart of the current standoff are two rival blocs: Villa Somalia, backed by three Federal Member States and SSC-Khatumo, and politically reinforced by President Hassan Sheikh’s expanded Justice and Unity Party; and the opposition alliance comprising Puntland, Jubaland, and several prominent politicians, who accuse the presidency of pursuing a centralized power grab that undermines Somalia’s federal framework.
Diplomatic observers warn that the deadlock threatens to unravel the delicate balance of Somalia’s federal model, heightening the risk of renewed political fragmentation and undermining progress toward inclusive governance and stability.
A bid to reassert legitimacy?
On Tuesday, Villa Somalia extended formal invitations to former presidents, prime ministers, parliamentary speakers, and ex-state leaders for a national consultative summit scheduled for June 15 in a move widely seen as an attempt to reclaim political momentum.
However, the current leaders of Puntland and Jubaland—Said Abdullahi Deni and Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Madobe)—are notably absent from the invitation list, a decision that has sparked criticism and raised doubts about the summit’s inclusivity and national legitimacy.
Diplomats say Thursday’s C6+ meeting will also serve as a preliminary step toward shaping a common international stance on the June 15 summit, which risks being undermined by its exclusivity and the growing mistrust among key political stakeholders.
Opposition leaders have already rejected the summit, declaring they will not participate in a process that sidelines Puntland and Jubaland—two Federal Member States whose exclusion, they argue, severely undermines the summit’s credibility and national relevance.
“We cannot be part of a dialogue that pretends to be national while deliberately excluding key players in the federation,” one opposition figure told local media.
While Villa Somalia pushes forward with its consultative initiative, domestic and international pressure is mounting for a more inclusive approach that reflects Somalia’s federal composition.
Thursday’s international meeting in Mogadishu may prove decisive—not just in shaping the fate of the June 15 summit but also in determining whether Somalia moves toward a path of reconciliation and consensus or further entrenches its political divide.