The Somali Prime Minister, Hamse Abdi Barre, reiterated that the federal government and the Puntland regional state maintain a positive relationship, despite the lack of cooperation since Puntland severed ties with the federal government.
During an interview with VOA Somali in Washington, D.C. this week, Prime Minister Barre emphasized the federal government’s readiness to address any concerns raised by regional President Said Abdullahi Deni in order to advance the governance of the country.
“Deni has not come to us to tell us what he wants. We are waiting for him to come to us and express his concerns. We want him to say, ‘This is my concern, and this is what I want,’ and we eagerly await his approach,” said Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre.
The Prime Minister highlighted his willingness to travel to Puntland to resolve political differences, underscoring that his government always welcomes dialogue as a means of conflict resolution.
“We offer the Puntland government all the resources at our disposal, and we are prepared to collaborate in resolving their problems. We hope that our brothers, especially President Said Deni, will find common ground with us,” he added.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister emphasized that the most opportune moment to meet with President Deni would be after the conclusion of the local council elections, considering that the leaders of Puntland are currently occupied with the election process.
“I believe that once the regional elections have concluded, we can address other matters,” stated Barre.
In January, President Deni severed ties with Somalia’s federal government, declaring that Puntland would function autonomously until the drafting of a constitution and the holding of a referendum. This political tension led Deni to skip the National Consultative Council (NCC) meetings in Baidoa and Dhusamareb this year.
In May, Somalia’s Deputy Finance Minister, Abdiqafar Hassan Hange, alleged that President Deni’s opposition to the federal government stemmed from his failed attempt to become Prime Minister.
Last year, Deni publicly supported Mohamud during the climactic final round of the national presidential elections, resulting in Mohamud’s victory over the incumbent President, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo. At that time, political analysts widely anticipated that Mohamud would appoint Deni or one of his close associates as Prime Minister, but this expectation did not materialize.
In May of this year, the Puntland regional state held its first democratic local elections since 1967.
A total of 3,775 candidates from seven political parties, including the ruling Kaah party, competed for 774 seats in the May 25 elections. The three organizations that secured the highest number of seats in the local council parliament were Kaah, Mideeye, and Sincad. While more than 385,000 voters were registered for the elections, only 177,445 cast their votes.