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Somali president warns states against blocking national reforms

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Thursday September 18, 2025

Mogadishu (HOL) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said Thursday that Somalia’s federal government will not bow to politicians or regional states seeking to advance personal agendas outside the political process, insisting the country’s future must be decided collectively.
With less than a year left in his term, Hassan Sheikh pressed federal member states boycotting national consultations to rely on lawmakers, cabinet ministers, and other officials already representing them in Mogadishu.
“It is impossible for regional states to send representatives to parliament, the cabinet, and government institutions, and then reject collective decisions once they are made,” the president said. “The destiny of Somalia cannot be determined by an individual declaring, ‘I refuse’ or ‘I accept.’”

He said his government speaks for all Somalis and is working to finish the constitution and push reforms forward. Those voicing objections from outside, he added, were serving only themselves.
Hassan Sheikh said talks are still underway with Puntland and Jubbaland to try to narrow their differences. In an interview with Al Arabiya, he confirmed that several channels of dialogue remain open and voiced hope that the standoff with Jubbaland could be settled before local and national elections. He said council polls were the government’s immediate priority, with national voting to follow.
His comments pointed to the continuing rift with Puntland and Jubbaland, two of the most powerful federal states. Both have stayed away from the talks, blocking agreement on a roadmap for one-person, one-vote elections, a prize long sought by Somali leaders and their international backers.
Puntland cut formal ties with Mogadishu in March 2024 after rejecting constitutional amendments it said undermined regional autonomy. By mid-2024, Garowe had withdrawn recognition of the federal review process, leaving the charter in limbo. The rift deepened in October 2024, when Mogadishu released a federal map labeling parts of Puntland as disputed territory and accused the state of blocking oil exploration deals. The accusations were quickly dismissed by Garowe as attempts to erode its sovereignty. In early 2025, Puntland further accused Mogadishu of neglecting joint counter-terrorism operations against Islamic State-linked fighters in the Bari mountains, saying security cooperation was being used as political leverage.
Jubbaland’s confrontation with Mogadishu sharpened after Ahmed Mohamed Islam Madobe was declared winner of a third term in November 2024 elections, which the federal government dismissed as illegitimate. The dispute spiraled into legal warfare, with courts in both Mogadishu and Kismayo issuing arrest warrants for the other’s leaders, and Mogadishu even seeking an Interpol Red Notice for Madobe. By December, the conflict had spilled into open fighting, with federal troops and Jubbaland forces clashing in Raskamboni.
Tensions in Jubbaland’s Gedo region flared again in July 2025 when Mogadishu deployed Abdirashid Janan, Jubbaland’s former security minister, as regional intelligence chief. His appointment triggered deadly clashes in Beled-Hawo and Doolow that displaced thousands and reignited accusations that both sides were fueling instability.
Somalia has made progress in recent years, including securing international debt relief and lifting long-standing sanctions. Somalia’s 11th Parliament has already reviewed four chapters of the provisional constitution. Parliamentary Speaker Adan Madobe recently described these gains as proof that Somalia is at its “strongest point since the 1991 collapse,” crediting national institutions for the progress, but conceded that Puntland’s partial integration into the federal security system remains an outstanding challenge.

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