EU calls on Somali leaders to hold elections 'swiftly'

The European Union yesterday called on Somali leaders to quickly hold presidential election.

“Somalia’s federal and member state leaders must honor their responsibilities to the citizens and hold Parliamentary and Presidential elections immediately,” Anadolu Agency quoted the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell, as saying.

Borrel added that the Somali leaders must “reach a compromise on the electoral process to pave the way for a peaceful transfer of power through the implementation of the September 2020 pre-election deal.”

On 17 September, the Somali government agreed with the heads of federal regions, during a consultative conference in the capital Mogadishu, to hold presidential and parliamentary elections without specifying an exact date. The elections were slated to be held between December 2020 and February 2021.

The UN and US have previously urged Somali leaders to respect the September deal and hold elections.

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