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Somalia recognizes SSC-Khaatumo, invites leader to national consultative council
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    Monday April 14, 2025


    Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre speaks in Las Anod on April 13, 2025, where he officially announced Somalia's recognition of SSC-Khaatumo as a federal administration.

    Las Anod (HOL) — Somalia’s federal government has officially recognized SSC-Khaatumo as a federal administration, placing it alongside the country’s existing member states, Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre announced Sunday during a visit to Las Anod.

    Barre declared the region’s formal inclusion in the federal system and extended an invitation to SSC-Khaatumo leader Abdikhadir Ahmed Aw-Ali Firdhiye to attend the upcoming National Consultative Council (NCC) meeting, scheduled for May 1–2 in Mogadishu. The NCC is Somalia’s top political forum, bringing together federal and regional leaders to deliberate on national priorities such as security coordination, constitutional reforms, and humanitarian responses.

    “SSC-Khaatumo is a Somali territory and a legitimate part of the Federal Republic of Somalia. It is not a contested area,” Barre said at a public ceremony in Las Anod.

    The move marks a major political milestone for SSC-Khaatumo, a northern region that declared itself an autonomous administration following Somaliland’s withdrawal from Las Anod in early 2023. Since then, the area has remained aligned with the federal government and sought formal recognition as a member state.

    “This recognition was long overdue,” Barre said, noting that the region would now be included in national development plans.

    Sunday’s developments further cement SSC-Khaatumo’s role in national decision-making. Firdhiye previously attended an NCC summit in May 2024, where he emphasized the region’s demand for constitutional recognition and urged the federal government to address longstanding grievances. His inclusion in next month’s summit reflects the government’s broader efforts to foster national unity and resolve internal conflicts through inclusive governance.

    Barre also used his visit to launch several development projects in Las Anod, including the construction of administrative buildings, a police headquarters, a national ID center, and new education and healthcare facilities. He pledged that SSC-Khaatumo would now be incorporated into national development plans and receive its share of federal funding.

    While many residents in SSC-Khaatumo welcomed the recognition, debate continues over whether the region has fulfilled the constitutional requirements to become a formal federal member state. Somalia’s provisional constitution requires a structured process involving public consultations and parliamentary approval—steps that observers note have not yet been completed.

    The announcement drew swift condemnation from Somaliland’s government, which maintains that Las Anod remains part of its territory. Authorities in Hargeisa described the Prime Minister’s visit as a “clear violation of sovereignty” and accused the federal government of interference.

     





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