MOGADISHU—Somalia’s political landscape has entered a new phase marked by renewed hope and dialogue, after the Federal Government on Monday formally announced the launch of a consultative process with the Somali Future Council.
The Somali Future Council is composed of opposition politicians from Mogadishu, Puntland, and Jubaland, representing a broad cross-section of political voices outside the Federal Government.
In a carefully worded statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, Hamza Abdi Barre, the government said that, acting on the recommendation of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, it had agreed to open the door to dialogue in order to strengthen national unity and social cohesion.
The statement specified both the date and venue of the talks.
On Sunday, 1 February 2026, a national consultative conference will officially open in Mogadishu, bringing together the Federal Government and representatives of the Somali Future Council.
The move was described as a direct response to an earlier appeal issued by the Future Council, particularly Clause Six of its communique, which called for the convening of a structured dialogue between the parties.
The government said its decision reflects a commitment to “putting into practice a form of democracy based on consultation and compromise.”
To ensure the process is substantive and outcome-oriented, the government has appointed a ministerial committee tasked with organizing the conference and preparing its agenda.
The committee is to be chaired by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Hassan Maallin Mahmoud Sheikh Ali.
At the same time, the government called on the Somali Future Council to nominate its own technical committee to work alongside government ministers in shaping the framework and agenda of the conference.
Somali political observers view the move as a sign of growing political maturity on the part of the Federal Government, reflecting a preference for resolving political disagreements through dialogue rather than public confrontation.
Attention now turns to 1 February, as Somalis await the outcome of what is expected to be a sensitive and consequential meeting in Mogadishu.