Tuesday October 7, 2025
Leaders of Puntland’s political parties, Ifiye, Mustaqbal, Mideeye, and Sincad, meet in Garowe on October 7, 2025, to discuss their joint response to the reported understanding between the Puntland administration and Somaliland.
Garowe (HOL) — Puntland’s four main opposition parties have rejected a
reported understanding between the Puntland administration and Somaliland, warning it undermines the regional constitution and threatens Somalia’s unity.
The parties, Ifiye, Mustaqbal, Mideeye, and Sincad, issued a joint statement Tuesday following an emergency meeting in Garowe. They said the agreement “contradicts Puntland’s Constitution, neglects the interests of its people, and endangers the territorial integrity of the Somali Republic.”
“We categorically reject any form of agreement between Puntland and Somaliland that lacks transparency or legal basis,” the statement read. “Such moves only advance separatist ambitions and weaken Somalia’s federal system.”
The opposition bloc accused the Puntland government of bypassing the legal and institutional process in pursuing the alleged deal. It warned against “secret arrangements” that exclude the participation of key political stakeholders.
The statement followed a Nairobi meeting reportedly involving Puntland and Somaliland officials. Opposition leaders said the communiqué released afterward failed to reflect the “national interest of the Somali people” and instead contained language that could be read as tacit recognition of Somaliland’s claim to independence.
The four parties stressed that any talks with Somaliland must be conducted within the framework of Somalia’s federal constitution and in consultation with Puntland’s political organizations.
“Our position is consistent,” the statement added. “We support initiatives that strengthen unity and federalism, but we will oppose any attempt to divide or undermine the Somali nation.”
The Puntland government has not yet publicly responded to the opposition’s accusations or confirmed details of the reported understanding.
If implemented, the agreement would represent one of the few formal engagements between Puntland and Somaliland since their violent border clashes in Las Anod in early 2023. The development could complicate Puntland’s internal politics, as opposition groups accuse the administration of sidelining constitutional institutions in favor of unilateral diplomacy.
Puntland, a semi-autonomous region in northeastern Somalia, remains part of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Somaliland, which declared independence in 1991, operates its own administration but has not gained international recognition.