The United Nations is calling on Somalia’s federal government and opposition groups to keep talking after three days of high-level negotiations in Mogadishu ended without agreement on the country’s electoral model and political transition.

The appeal came on May 16, 2026, from the United Nations Transitional Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNTMIS) and was reiterated on May 19 by the UN Secretary-General’s office. Both sides expressed willingness to continue discussions, and the UN says that commitment needs to turn into sustained dialogue.

What happened in the talks

The talks, convened by foreign diplomats, brought together the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Future Council, a coalition of opposition politicians, former officials and leaders from some federal member states.

The agenda covered constitutional amendments, electoral arrangements and the broader political transition. The government is pushing for a shift toward direct one-person, one-vote elections. Opposition groups argue that major constitutional and electoral changes require broader consensus and warn against unilateral moves.

The discussions ended on May 16 without resolving the key disputes. The timing coincided with the official end of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s four-year term. Lawmakers had approved constitutional amendments in March extending presidential and parliamentary terms to five years, but the opposition and some federal member states rejected the extension.

UN’s message: keep talking, avoid escalation

UNTMIS said it regretted that the latest round ended without agreement but welcomed the stated commitment by both sides to keep looking for a constructive way forward.

“As Somalia enters a period of transition, UNTMIS hopes that, during this phase, the Federal Government of Somalia will prioritise engaging all stakeholders to build consensus around an electoral model that is practical and unifying,” the mission said in a statement.

UN Deputy Spokesperson for Secretary-General António Guterres added that the Secretary-General welcomes the willingness of both parties to engage and encourages them to continue dialogue on elections and related issues. The UN stressed that maintaining communication between political actors is essential for the next phase of Somalia’s transition, particularly around electoral preparation and institutional development.

The mission also urged restraint among political actors to reduce tensions and said it stands ready to work with international partners to support continued dialogue.

Why the stakes are high

Somalia is at a critical juncture. The dispute over electoral models is central: the government favors universal suffrage, while the opposition prefers a revised version of the indirect voting system used in past elections.

Opposition leaders and some regional states have warned they will cease recognizing the government’s legitimacy after May 15, the end of Mohamud’s original mandate under the 2012 Provisional Constitution. That raises the risk of a legitimacy crisis and parallel political processes if no compromise is reached.

UNTMIS noted that decisions on electoral arrangements will significantly shape future political processes. It called for broader stakeholder participation and urged leaders to focus on national challenges, including the humanitarian crisis and threats from armed groups.

What’s next

Both the government and the Somali Future Council have indicated they are open to further talks. The UN is pushing for those talks to be inclusive and to avoid parallel processes, partial elections, or actions that extend mandates without agreement.

The next steps will depend on whether the federal government and opposition can find common ground on an electoral model that works across Somalia’s federal structure. International partners, including the African Union, EU and IGAD, have consistently backed the need for dialogue and are expected to support the process.

For now, the UN’s position is clear: dialogue is the only viable path to an electoral model that holds across Somalia’s political divides. The alternative is deeper fragmentation at a time when the country faces serious security and humanitarian pressures.