Letter from Mogadishu: EAC mum as Somalia slides into chaos

On Monday, Western embassies and the United Nations mission in Somalia issued a joint statement calling on all Somali political actors to resume dialogue and urgently agree on an electoral roadmap, as the country’s worst political standoff in years showed no signs of abating.

The missions that appended their signatures on the statement included the British Embassy, the EU Delegation, UNTMIS, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, and Poland.

But the regional bloc, which Somalia is the latest to join as the ninth member, was deafeningly quiet as the nation gradually slid into chaos.

Separately, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the eight-member East African regional bloc, condemned the violence witnessed in Mogadishu and called for an immediate de-escalation of tensions.

The body’s Executive Secretary, Workneh Gebeyehu, said Somalia’s leaders and political stakeholders should place the interests of citizens above political rivalries and work toward resolving disputes through peaceful means.

He emphasized that Somalia’s unity, stability, and security remain critical not only for the country itself but also for the wider Horn of Africa region.

The western embassies that had earlier issued a statement described the situation in Somalia as a matter of “deep concern” and called on all leaders in the country to put national interests ahead of their own.

It called on all parties to refrain from any actions that could lead to an escalation of tensions, and pledged the international community’s readiness to support Somali-led talks should they be requested.

However, by Wednesday, militia allied to some opposition figures were already in direct confrontation with government forces on the streets of Mogadishu, forcing the roads leading to the airport to be closed down.

The scenes in the capital were reminiscent of the 2021 clashes between government and militia allied to opposition politicians after then president Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo extended his term by a year. It took the intervention of foreign governments to stabilize the situation.

Somalia has been on tenterhooks since the year began, but the situation escalated in April when the four-year mandate for parliament lapsed without an electoral plan in place. This was quickly followed by the end of the mandate for President Mohamud on May 15.

An earlier attempt to breathe new life in both the parliament and presidency by extending their life for another year by adopting the 2012 Transitional Constitution seems to have floundered after the opposition cried foul and accused Mohamud of extending his term illegally.

The president has been on a campaign to establish a new electoral system and redraw the federal map in what his critics view as a bid to centralise executive power and extend his time in office.

Long before the mandate of both parliament and president Miohamud lapsed, there had been diplomatic efforts to break the deadlock in vain.

On February 17, 2026, president Mohamud acceded to a meeting with the opposition, starting with a lunch in Villa Somalia. This was followed by official talks at Villa Somalia on February 18 and 19. But the process stalled almost immediately, and the two sides parted without agreement.

Last month, the second round of talks, which saw America take a lead in mediation, was held inside the Halane compound, which houses the UN mission as well as most embassies in Mogadishu.

Those talks between the federal government and the opposition Somali Future Council collapsed on 15 May after both sides remained sharply divided over core electoral questions.

President Hassan Sheikh maintained that Somalia must proceed with a one-person, one-vote electoral model, arguing that constitutional amendments passed earlier in the year effectively extend his administration’s mandate.

The president outrightly rejected any proposals for a caretaker or transitional arrangement. Within hours of the talks collapsing, he declared that his presidency would continue until May 15, 2027.

On the other hand, the opposition was equally unequivocal that his constitutional mandate had expired, and he no longer held legitimate authority.

The stand-off had a spiral effect, leading to the death of one person and several others injured after the Somali security forces opened fire on anti-government protesters in Mogadishu on May 10.

As he battled with opposition politicians, Puntland, one of the rebellious federal states, formally withdrew recognition of President Mohamud’s administration.

This forced international partners to convene a virtual crisis meeting with the opposition and key regional leaders on May 18. The UN Secretary-General’s office was roped in, with Antonio Guterres saying he welcomed the willingness of both parties to engage and encouraged them to continue dialogue toward an agreement on elections and related matters.

The African Union and IGAD issued similar calls for the resumption of transition talks.

But the EAC maintained a studious silence as other organizations expressed concern about Somalia.

However, Monday’s joint statement represents the most coordinated public diplomatic intervention yet from the international community. With no talks currently scheduled and both sides holding firm, the prospects for an early resolution remain uncertain.

Will the EAC finally find its voice and talk about the situation in Mogadishu? Time will tell.

Meanwhile, a fuel tanker carrying petroleum products was reported to have been hijacked by suspected Somali pirates off the northeastern coast of Somalia.

According to local officials and British maritime authorities, the vessel was seized last week on Wednesday in waters between the coastal towns of Hafun and Bandarbeyla in Puntland’s Bari region, while en route from the Somaliland port city of Berbera to the Somali capital, Mogadishu.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, confirmed the incident, saying unauthorized individuals had boarded the vessel and taken control of its navigation while operating within Somali waters.

The tanker is reportedly owned by Pakistani businessmen and was carrying a shipment of fuel. Authorities have not yet disclosed the exact number of crew members on board or their nationalities.

The incident comes amid growing concerns over a resurgence of piracy in waters off Somalia and across the wider western Indian Ocean.

After years of decline following an international naval crackdown, Somali piracy has shown signs of re-emerging in recent months. The Gulf of Aden and the waters off Somalia are a critical shipping corridor linking Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. Any increase in piracy activity raises concerns for global trade, shipping costs, and maritime security across the Horn of Africa.

Authorities are continuing efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the hijacking and secure the release of the vessel and its crew.