Kismayo – Somali opposition groups failed to reach an agreement on the leadership structure of the proposed “Somalia’s Future Council” during a conference held in Kismayo, Jubaland State. The council is intended to include representatives from Puntland, Jubaland, and the opposition-led Rescue Forum.

The Kismayo conference was convened to finalize the structure of the opposition council and to issue decisions addressing the country’s current political phase. However, deep divisions emerged among participants over who should lead the council.

Some delegates argued for appointing former Somali President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed as chair of the council, while others rejected the proposal. A third group refrained from taking a clear position, further complicating consensus-building efforts.

As a result of these internal disagreements, the opposition failed to finalize the council’s structure. Instead, participants issued a concluding statement outlining their general vision for managing Somalia’s current political transition, without resolving key leadership questions.