Somalia’s international partners Call for Credible House of the People Elections

PRESS-RELEASE

Mogadishu, 26 November 2021 – International partners* urge the completion of inclusive and credible House of the People elections acceptable by all electoral stakeholders and the Somali people according to a published timetable, by 24 December 2021 and for presidential elections to be completed imminently thereafter.

We call for full transparency in all related processes, including selection committee appointments, delegates selection, candidate registration, the reservation of seats for women candidates, to comply with the agreed 30 per cent quota, and the management of candidate fees.  We further call on the electoral committees to facilitate observation of all polling station activities.

We call for respect for the right of candidates to stand for election under conditions of genuine and fair competition.

We encourage delegates and candidates wishing to submit electoral complaints to do so through the legal mechanisms established for this purpose.

*African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Ethiopia, European Union (EU), Finland, France, Germany, Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, League of Arab States (LAS), Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russian Federation, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Uganda, United Kingdom, United States, and United Nations.