UN calls on Somalia to hold delayed polls ‘as soon as possible’

UN envoy to country urges Somali leaders ‘to pull back from confrontation’ and reach a compromise on elections.

The United Nations envoy for Somalia has called on leaders in Somalia to reach an agreement on holding elections “as soon as possible”, in comments made days after gunfire broke out during an opposition demonstration in the capital, Mogadishu. In a quarterly video conference of the UN Security Council, James Swan on Monday urged “all of Somalia’s political leaders to pull back from confrontation and avoid risky winner-take-all tactics”. “Instead, this is a time to pursue dialogue and compromise to reach an inclusive and credible political agreement to hold elections as soon as possible based on the 17 September model,” he added.