MOGADISHU, Somalia (KAAB TV) – In an unprecedented change of policy, the Council of Ministers of the Government of Somalia has approved a Resolution on National Security Threats, prepared by the National Security Advisor’s Office.
For the first time, the separatist movement has been officially designated as a national security threat.
This signals a shift in how Mogadishu will engage with Somaliland, a region that declared independence from the rest of Somalia in 1991 and has since sought international recognition.
Puntland, another region in the northeast, has been operating independently since it left the federal government in March of this year.
In a statement, the Prime Minister’s office explained that the new national security policy is based on “a new vision of the Somali government to protect against major threats that could threaten the existence, governance, and unity of the country and the Somali people.”
The Council issued and approved a resolution containing eight key points including: terrorism, separatism, state fragility, porous borders, foreign intervention, climate change, technological risks, and social crises.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre, included key ministers, such as those from the Ministries of Internal Security and Defence.
The Somaliland-Ethiopia MOU
This decision comes amid ongoing engagements between Somaliland and Ethiopia.
On January 1, 2024, the two entities signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), granting Ethiopia access to the Red Sea via Somaliland’s Berbera port. In return, Somaliland seeks recognition as an independent country.
Prime Minister Hamsa Abdi Barre emphasized the importance of the new policy: “Our goal is to safeguard the nation’s integrity and ensure the stability and unity of the Somali people.”
However, this designation could be interpreted as a threat by officials in Hargeisa and might hinder attempts to resume the long-stalled dialogue between Mogadishu and Hargeisa.
As the political landscape in Somalia continues to evolve, the inclusion of separatism in the national security threat list marks a significant policy shift and underscores the government’s commitment to maintaining national unity and sovereignty.