Despite progress in some significant areas, Somalia’s politics continue to be shaped by stark differences between key political players. This is most evident in the ongoing disagreement around one-person-onevote (OPOV) elections, the framework for which is timetabled to be finalized by parliament in June. At the same time, the effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic have accentuated political uncertainty and threaten to exacerbate tensions. In this context, urgent political dialogue between key actors towards cooperation more broadly, and consensus on election design and implementation specifically, remains imperative. This briefing describes these unfolding dynamics, and offers some suggestions for Somali stakeholders, and international actors, on the way forward.

The briefing is a product of the Somali Dialogue Platform, which supports Somalis to achieve consensus on contentious political issues. The Platform is implemented by the Rift Valley Institute and FDG Synergy. Somali Public Agenda also contributed to this research. The Somali Dialogue Platform is funded by the UK Department for International Development. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the UK government’s official policies.