President Deni Should Not Be Throwing Puntland into the Anti-Federalists’ Den

[Deeq A.]

President Deni has, perhaps unwittingly, turned Puntland into a stronghold of anti-federalist sentiment, echoing the rhetoric of those who coined the term clan federalism in an attempt to undermine the real milestones achieved through the adoption a federal system for Somalia in 2004.

Garowe (Commentary) — In 2022, when President Said Abdullahi Deni of Puntland contested the presidency of Somalia, about 30 per cent of Puntland’s then federally recognised territory was under the control of either Daesh or secessionists aligned with the self-proclaimed Republic of Somaliland. Despite Puntland’s administration not being directly involved in the Laascaanood conflict, 2023 proved to be a tumultuous year for the people of Puntland, Sool, Sanaag, Cayn and Khatumo.

The seven-month conflict in Sool witnessed the mobilisation of Harti sub-clans against Somaliland forces, who shelled Laascaanood. The storming of Goojacadde barracks on 25 August 2023 marked a geopolitical turning point for Somalia. This was followed by the former President of Somaliland administrations, Muse Bihi Abdi, signing an illegal maritime Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed on 1 January 2024.

Following intense diplomatic pressure, Ethiopia was compelled to abandon the MoU and reaffirm its commitment to the principles of the African Union Charter, particularly the respect for member states’ sovereignty. Somaliland administration claimed that previous agreements with the Federal Government of Somalia entitled it to grant Ethiopia sea access. Bihi argued that clauses related to human development in earlier agreements, including the December 2023 Djibouti summit and subsequent agreement, justified the maritime MoU.

President Deni described the December 2023 summit in Djibouti as a gathering of rival clans conspiring against Puntland. The illegal maritime MoU created a significant rift between Mogadishu and Hargeisa. In response, the Federal Government of Somalia officially declared secession a national security threat.

The new Somaliland administration President, Mr Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, who assumed office in December 2024, signalled that he would uphold the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia by refusing to endorse the maritime MoU, which his predecessor had used to boost a failed re-election campaign.

President Deni recently stated that “Somaliland is free to look after its interests.” His comments followed the recognition of Sool, Sanaag, Cayn, and Khaatumo as a Federal Member State. Deni’s remarks are seen as contradicting the 1998 Charter of Puntland, which adopted Somalia’s national flag and anthem and affirmed commitment to national unity. Historically, Puntland has been a staunch defender of Somali sovereignty, especially during times when Somalia lacked a functioning national government.

Why is President Deni embracing self-defeating rhetoric, when secessionists have already realised that neither unilateral secession nor spurious claims of sovereignty can undermine the unity of the Federal Republic of Somalia? Somaliland administration gained significantly by participating in federal institutions through MPs and Senators, while misleading successive Somali governments into treating it as a sub-national entity with sovereign characteristics.

The Somali Federal government (2017 to 2022) signed an agreement with Somaliland administration officials in Djibouti, including provisions on the freedom of movement. The secessionist administration used these agreements to forcibly displace over 1,600 Somalis from Laascaanood, falsely claiming that the internally displaced persons (IDPs) were not Somaliland citizens. A significant number of the troops responsible for the displacement four years ago are now detainees captured during the 2023 Laascaanood conflict.

Under Deni’s leadership, Puntland opposed both the lifting of the arms embargo on Somalia and the debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPS) initiative. Dr Abdisalam Salwe recently told Radio Daljir: “Puntland did not receive any arms support from the Federal Government of Somalia. Puntland is at war with Daesh.” If Puntland rejects arms supplied by Somalia’s international partners for use by the Somali National Army in the fight against Al-Shabaab and other transnational terror groups, how can it expect to receive ammunition, medicine and logistical support for its own counterterrorism operations in Calmiskaad? Puntland is a Federal Member State, yet its forces operate independently of the Somali National Army. This self-imposed arrangement prevents Puntland from receiving direct logistical support for its forces engaged in combat against Daesh. It is a regrettable political decision with serious repercussions for Puntland’s counterterrorism efforts.

Only Al-Shabaab and Somali secessionists were expected to lobby against lifting the arms embargo. President Deni has, perhaps unwittingly, aligned his administration with enemies of Somali federalism. He has turned Puntland into a stronghold of anti-federalist sentiment, echoing the rhetoric of those who coined the term clan federalism in an attempt to undermine the real federal milestones achieved since Somalia adopted the federal system in 2004.

© Puntland Post, 2025

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