U.N. Security Council concerned over Somalia poll impasse
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.a
