The Somali National Leadership Forum (NLF) opened in the southwestern town of Baidoa, to fine tune processes that will lay the groundwork for the country’s electoral process in August.

Somali President H.E Hassan Sheikh Mohamud opened the 3-day forum on Wednesday that counted with the presence of regional presidents, senior officials from the federal government, members of the international community and Somalia’s key development partners.

“The political development of this country depends on us. The world came to our aid when our security system failed and also intervened during severe drought and famine and has assisted us rebuild our country. Since January 1991 the world has tried to bring political stability in this country, yet it is our role as Somalis to ensure stability and political development. The political stability you see today has been natured by Somalis and supported by the rest of the world,” President Sheikh Mohamud told delegates at the forum.

The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Somalia, Michael Keating spoke on behalf of the international community. He stressed the importance of keeping to the electoral timelines.

“The key issue is the timeline now and we are all committed to it being in August, but I think there is also an understanding that a proper process is required and there may be some tension between sticking to the deadline and making sure that all the right elements are put in place,” stated SRSG Keating.

 “We have been very encouraged today, to hear from the National Leadership Forum about how to ensure that the 2016 process, even though it is a limited vote, will be based upon a number of clear procedures and that the bodies set up, the Federal Indirect Election Implementation Team and its equivalents at the state and regional level, will be empowered to take technical decisions on how to make sure that this process is well conducted and that the NLF will support its work and ensure that the process takes place on time,” he added.

The Baidoa NLF is a follow-up to the previous Forum held in Mogadishu in the first week of June. The forum is thrashing out the sticking points in the electoral implementation process ahead of the parliamentary and presidential electoral process. The Forum has agreed to an expert-led Federal-Indirect Elections Implementation Team, a body that will oversee the electoral process and ensure timelines are adhered to

SRSG Keating reaffirmed the United Nations support to the electoral process but emphasized the need for fairness and inclusivity, especially of women and youth. The United Nations is providing technical and logistical support to the process.