Africa News of Thursday, 1 April 2021

Source: reuters.com

U.N. Security Council concerned over Somalia poll impasse

President Farmaajo's tenure expired in February with no election plan in place President Farmaajo's tenure expired in February with no election plan in place

The United Nations Security Council on Wednesday expressed concern over a standoff in Somalia on holding new elections, the United States’ top U.N. diplomat said.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed’s four-year term ended last month without a successor and Somalia’s parliament was supposed to elect a new president on Feb. 8, but the exercise was delayed because new lawmakers have yet to be picked.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in a virtual press briefing following a closed-door session that the 15-member Security Council “noted ongoing efforts to find agreement between leaders of the federal government of Somalia and the federal member states” on implementing a revised electoral model.

“They expressed concern over the ongoing impasse and called for Somalia’s leaders to engage in a constructive dialogue at the earliest opportunity without precondition to resolve outstanding issues,” she said.