KISMAYO, December 19, 2025 (Somalia Tribune) – Puntland State President Said Abdullahi Deni has called on Somalia’s federal leadership and political actors to heed the advice of Somali intellectuals, warning that continued disregard could lead to political chaos and threaten national unity.
Speaking at the Somali Future Council conference, which opened in Kismayo on Thursday afternoon, President Deni said warnings issued since 2023 about the country’s political trajectory have largely gone unheeded.
“The time we are living in is very sensitive,” Deni said, cautioning that without mutual understanding, respect, and a consensus-based political process, Somalia risks returning to division and instability.
He stressed that a political solution rooted in consultation, consensus, and genuine dialogue is the only viable path to safeguarding Somalia’s future.
President Deni specifically urged President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to initiate an inclusive national dialogue to address what he described as fateful issues facing the country, particularly the electoral process and the completion of the constitution.
“We urge President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to listen to advice and return to the dialogue table, so that the country can have an election that is mutually agreed upon,” he said.
Deni emphasized that the proposed dialogue is aimed at protecting Somalia’s long-term stability, adding that Puntland is fully prepared to participate in efforts to correct the country’s political course.
He reiterated that Puntland stands ready to play a constructive role in rebuilding the Somali state and again called on the federal government to listen to opposition voices.
“If we do not listen to each other and do not respect one another, nothing good will come from it,” he said, adding that Somalia’s leadership must allow consensus on an agreed-upon electoral process.
The Somali Future Council conference has brought together senior political figures, including Jubaland President Ahmed Mohamed Islam (Ahmed Madobe), former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, former Prime Ministers Mohamed Hussein Rooble, Hassan Ali Khayre, Abdi Farah Shirdoon (Saacid), former minister Abdirahman Abdishakur Warsame, former Puntland President Abdirahman Farole, and other national leaders.
