The day after the Lower House of the Somali Parliament voted in favour of a de facto two-year extension of the mandate of the Somali president and federal government, on Tuesday 13 April the EU increased its pressure, threatening sanctions.
The vote came on the same day that representatives of the EU, AU, IGAD and UN had called for the immediate resumption of dialogue between Somali leaders to break the deadlock on the electoral process that should have been finalised by 8 February, the end of President Farmajo's mandate (see EUROPE 12696/9).
“This action undermines the longstanding effort, supported by the EU and the international community, to rebuild Somalia through consensus”, said High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in a statement issued on behalf of the EU27.
He highlighted that “the international community, including the EU, have repeatedly and publicly expressed that we could under no circumstances accept an extension of the government mandate, or any partial or parallel process related to the elections, without the agreement of the parties to the 17 September electoral agreement”.
Then added: “We call for an immediate return to talks on the holding of elections without delay based on the September 17 agreement. Failing this, the EU will consider further concrete measures”. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)