Fed and state leaders hold talks in Mogadishu ahead of May London Conference

Leaders from the regional states and federal government will today meet in Mogadishu to discuss the upcoming London conference schedule for May 11.

The leaders are expected to deliberate on the issues which will form the agenda of the conference billed as the post New Deal recovery process for Somalia. The Brussels Conference for Somalia in 2013 set out a three year action plan dubbed New Deal for Somalia which articulated the country’s priorities for 2014–2016.

The conference which will bring together Somali leaders, international stakeholders and leaders from the East African region will focus on four key areas and review progress since the first London Conference in 2012.

Notable in the agenda will be the security architecture which the federal government and the federal member states must agree on and the shape and character of the Somali National Army. The conference will also discuss political reform and governance in Somalia.

A statement from the UK government website notes the conference will ‘bring federal and regional leaders together to agree the necessary constitutional reforms to work together more effectively, address revenue mobilisation and resource sharing, and to create the right environment for growth’.

Other areas of discussion include economic development and a new partnership agreement between Somalia and the international community.

It is not clear if Somaliland will be represented after it emerged last month the UK was locking out the break-away region following the postponement of the presidential elections.