NEW YORK, 02 May, 2021 (TON): UN Secretary-General welcomes the decision of the Lower House of the Federal Parliament to nullify the “Special Law on Federal Elections” and return to the electoral modalities outlined in the 17 September Electoral Agreement, said his spokesman Stéphane Dujarric. 

He said, “the Secretary-General reiterates 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 stresses the importance of a broad-based consensus for the country’s stability.” 

Somalia’s lower house of parliament voted unanimously on Saturday to cancel a controversial two-year presidential term extension it approved last month. 

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 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 between government forces and those backing the opposition.