Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud held a private meeting in Mogadishu last night with former President and leader of the National Vision Party, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed.
The meeting, the agenda of which was not previously announced, came at a time of political differences and differing views between the two leaders, which gave the meeting a special political dimension.
A statement from the National Vision Party said that the meeting discussed the general situation in the country, especially political issues, security and the stage the country is going through, with a focus on the need for national dialogue and reducing existing political differences.
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud stressed the importance of strengthening relations and cooperation among political leaders in order to achieve national unity and a lasting solution to overcome the challenges facing the country.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, expressed his willingness to hold a national consultation conference that opposition political stakeholders have called for, and called on former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed to play a prominent role in ensuring that the conference is successful and that a national agreement is reached,” the Himilo Qaran Party said in a statement.
For his part, Sharif Sheikh Ahmed stressed his readiness to participate in any effort that could lead to Somalis coming together and resolving existing political differences, stressing the importance of unity, compromise and genuine dialogue.
The meeting is seen as sending a political message to the entire Somali political arena, and shows the need for rapprochement and dialogue to address the difficult times facing the country.
