Monday April 21, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — Former Somali Prime Minister and presidential candidate Abdi Farah Shirdoon Saacid held talks with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre this week, focusing on Somalia’s upcoming elections and the country’s fragile security landscape.

In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Shirdoon, who also leads the Nagaad political party, thanked the president and prime minister for the invitation to Villa Somalia and underscored the need for unity, consultation, and consensus-driven leadership to navigate the country’s ongoing challenges.

“I discussed with the nation’s top leaders that Somalia’s pressing political and security challenges must be resolved through broad consultation and consensus—particularly around the elections and constitutional amendments,” Shirdoon wrote. “The Somali people must come together to eliminate terrorism and support reforms that strengthen our national security forces.”

The meeting comes days after Shirdoon launched a scathing critique of the federal government, accusing it of failing to provide essential services such as healthcare and education. He also warned that Al-Shabaab militants have regained ground in parts of Middle and Lower Shabelle, undermining recent military gains.

President Mohamud has defended his administration’s security approach, pointing to joint operations with U.S. and African Union partners, expanded recruitment drives, and strategic offensives aimed at dismantling Al-Shabaab’s infrastructure.

However, recent battlefield setbacks, including Al-Shabaab’s brief seizure of the strategic town of Aadan Yabaal last week, have fueled criticism from political rivals.