UN chief welcomes Somali move to return to agreed electoral model

UNITED NATIONS, May 1 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday welcomed the decision of Somalia's lower house of parliament to nullify the "Special Law on Federal Elections" and return to the modalities outlined in the Sept. 17, 2020, electoral agreement, said his spokesman.

The secretary-general reiterated his call to all Somali stakeholders to resume dialogue immediately and forge a consensual agreement on the holding of inclusive elections without further delay. He stressed the importance of a broad-based consensus for the country's stability, said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in a statement.

Somalia's lower house of parliament voted on Saturday to annul the April 12 mandate extension bill, which extended the terms of the executive and legislative arms of the federal government by two years.

President Mohamed Farmajo, who addressed the house before the vote, asked the lawmakers to revert to the Sept. 17, 2020, deal that was agreed between the federal government and five leaders of the federal member states.

He said the Sept. 17 deal was unanimously supported by the national consultative forum in order to save the country from political instability and to urgently head to commonly agreed elections.

The April 12 bill plunged Somalia into a political crisis that later erupted into fighting on Tuesday between government forces and those backing the opposition.