The President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, held a late-night meeting with former President Sheikh Sharif Sheikh Ahmed on Sunday in Mogadishu, as part of renewed political engagement efforts.

The meeting took place at the residence of Sheikh Sharif and addressed a range of issues, including personal and political grievances. Sources familiar with the discussions indicated that the two leaders reached a mutual understanding on the matters raised.

In a statement released following the meeting, the Himilo Qaran Party, led by Sheikh Sharif, said President Hassan Sheikh outlined his intention to convene a national consultative conference, an initiative previously called for by opposition groups. According to the statement, the President requested Sheikh Sharif to play a visible and constructive role in ensuring the success of the proposed dialogue and in helping to achieve a broad national political agreement.

The statement added that Sheikh Sharif welcomed the proposal and expressed his willingness to contribute to any process aimed at resolving Somalia’s political disagreements through dialogue and consensus.

Political sources believe that the President of Galmudug State, Ahmed Abdi Qoorqoor, played a facilitative role in bringing the two leaders closer together. Qoorqoor has been in Dhusamareb in recent days, where consultations related to the meeting are believed to have taken place.

The talks come at a time when the Council for Somalia’s Future, which includes Sheikh Sharif among its members, is planning to hold a meeting in Garowe to deliberate on the country’s political situation, with a particular focus on electoral issues.

Observers see the meeting as part of President Hassan Sheikh’s broader effort to address grievances raised by opposition groups, as well as by the Jubbaland and Puntland administrations, ahead of a wider national consultation on Somalia’s political future.