Somalia: Puntland President Warns of Threat to Somalia’s Federal System

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 59th session of the Puntland parliament, Mr Deni said Somalia had entered what he described as a dangerous period for the country’s state-building process.

He said Puntland had long supported the establishment of a federal Somali government, arguing that the system was intended to provide political stability and a functioning system of governance.

“The Puntland government has always stood for the establishment of a federal Somali state. We have invested efforts of all kinds in this process to achieve stability and a comprehensive system of governance,” Mr Deni said.

He added that he was concerned that Somalia had reached a point that threatened the state-building efforts undertaken over many years.

Mr Deni accused the federal government of abandoning political agreements previously reached among Somali stakeholders, including the country’s provisional constitution.

He also criticised President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, accusing him of rejecting an election based on consensus and of obstructing efforts to resolve political disagreements through dialogue.

The Puntland leader further alleged that the country’s security forces were being used in ways that had contributed to instability and accused the federal government of targeting officials and creating insecurity in previously stable areas.

“Everything that had been agreed upon has been abandoned, most recently the provisional constitution,” Mr Deni said.

He also referred to what he described as attacks involving drones against officials who had served the country, as well as the deployment of national security forces in ways he said were contributing to instability and the alleged seizure of public and private property.

The claims were made as political tensions remain centred on Somalia’s electoral arrangements, constitutional changes and the relationship between the federal government and member states.

Mr Deni said Puntland would not accept what he described as an election process designed exclusively by the federal government in Mogadishu.

He called on Somalis and other stakeholders to convene a broad national conference aimed at resolving the political dispute and protecting the country’s federal system.

“The Puntland government is not satisfied with the ambitions and the type of election announced by Hassan Sheikh, which we believe threatens the existence of the Somali Republic,” he said.

Mr Deni said Puntland would communicate its position to both the Somali public and the international community.

He also said he understood the concerns of Puntland residents and promised that his administration would not take decisions that he believed were contrary to their interests.

The Puntland president’s remarks come amid continuing disagreements in Somalia over constitutional reform, electoral arrangements and the distribution of political authority between the federal government and Somalia’s federal member states.