The United Nations (UN) Security Council on Wednesday expressed concern over a standoff in Somalia on holding new elections, the United States' top UN diplomat said.

President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed's four-year term ended last month without a successor and Somalia’s parliament was supposed to elect a new president on February 8, but the exercise was delayed because new lawmakers have yet to be picked.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in a virtual press briefing following a closed-door session that the 15-member Security Council "noted ongoing efforts to find agreement between leaders of the federal government of Somalia and the federal member states" on implementing a revised electoral model.

"They expressed concern over the ongoing impasse and called for Somalia's leaders to engage in a constructive dialogue at the earliest opportunity without precondition to resolve outstanding issues," she said.