MP Dr Abdillahi Hashi Abib
Statement on the Historic Visit of the Prime Minister to SSC-Khaatumo and the Legal, Political, and Geostrategic Implications for Somalia
The Prime Minister’s first official visit to the capital of SSC-Khaatumo, Las Anod, marks a historic turning point in the modern history of the Federal Republic of Somalia. This visit will be enshrined in our national record as the day that put to rest a 34-year-old falsehood propagated by successive regimes in Hargeisa since the collapse of the Somali Democratic Republic in 1991. These regimes have long weaponized historical atrocities committed by Somalia Government in May 1988 in Hargeisa and Burao - events that deserve acknowledgment and justice - to unjustly claim moral and political superiority, while seeking to monopolize national legitimacy on behalf of a single clan constituency.
This one-clan narrative has systematically ignored or downplayed the voices and aspirations of other communities in the northern regions, including the people of SSC-Khaatumo and Awdal, who have consistently rejected one tribe led secessionist ideologies. The same entities that demand accountability for past atrocities against their community have simultaneously perpetrated grave human rights violations against civilians in SSC-Khaatumo in 2023 and engaged in the political marginalization and intimidation of the Awdal region.
While I maintain my firm position, supported by extensive oversight and investigative work since August 2, 2022, that the current administration of the Prime Minister has been marked by widespread corruption, mismanagement, and dishonesty, I express my unequivocal support for this particular action. The Prime Minister’s visit to Las Anod represents not only a symbolic repudiation of secessionist falsehoods but also a national affirmation of Somali unity and the indivisibility of our sovereignty. I look forward to a similar historic visit to the capital of Awdal State – Baki - in the near future.
Any action to recognize the self-declared one tribe administration in Hargeisa would constitute a grave violation of Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Such recognition would amount to legitimizing one tribal secessionist project, not a representative or constitutional entity. The consequences of this would be severe and far-reaching. Recognition would directly contradict the internationally recognized borders of Somalia and set a dangerous precedent for secessionist movements throughout the Horn of Africa, with potential ripple effects in Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Kenya. It would signal to other ethnically based factions that unilateral separation is a viable political path, thereby threatening peace and stability in the region.
The so-called Hargeisa administration is dominated by a single clan (Isaaq), which comprises less than one-third of the population in the claimed territory. The Sool clan, East Sanaag Clan, and Gadabursi communities, representing the SSC-Khaatumo and Awdal regions, have explicitly rejected this project. Recognition would not only disenfranchise these populations but also risk reigniting civil conflict.
Contrary to its claim of stability, the Hargeisa one tribe administration faces increasing internal fragmentation. The emergence of multiple clan-based militias - such as SPSA-77 (Gabiley Clan), SSB (East Burco Clan), G36 (Garhajis), and AAP (Arab) - reveals the lack of internal cohesion and exposes the myth of a unified political entity. These divisions may escalate into intra-clan warfare, reminiscent of the 1990s civil strife.
Following SSC-Khaatumo’s reassertion of sovereignty under the Federal Republic of Somalia, the Hargeisa regime has suffered a significant economic contraction, estimated at over 45%. The loss of revenue from trade routes, particularly those connected to Berbera Port, has led to mass layoffs, business closures, and severe reductions in purchasing power across Hargeisa and other cities. The Hargeisa regime faces the threat of internal collapse driven by tribalism, weak governance, and corruption. Without the unifying framework of a federal Somalia, the region risks descending into lawlessness, resource wars, and humanitarian crises.
Despite public denials, over 30 China Communist Party state-affiliated companies operate in Hargeisa-controlled territory, engaging in unregulated extraction of rare earth minerals vital to global defense and technology industries. These operations violate Somalia’s sovereignty and pose serious geopolitical risks to World interests. A formal diplomatic protest was issued by Somalia in 2015, but illegal Chinese activities persist.
Recognition would undermine national counterterrorism operations and create a vacuum that extremist groups could exploit. It would also destabilize the Red Sea corridor, compromise U.S. and allied naval operations, and risk regional militarization by adversarial powers including China, Russia, and Iran.
The African Union maintains a clear doctrine against redrawing colonial-era borders. Recognition of Hargeisa’s secession would defy this principle and embolden other separatist movements across Africa, threatening continental stability. The Arab League, which upholds Somalia’s territorial unity, would also view recognition as an attack on Somali sovereignty, damaging ties with key partners in Arab League.
The Hargeisa regime has committed war crimes against the SSC-Khaatumo population and systematically oppressed the Awdal region. International recognition would reward impunity, reinforce systemic injustice, and marginalize calls for democratic reform.
Instead of isolation and unrecognized governance, integration into a united Somalia offers:
Ø Full access to international institutions (World Bank, IMF, UN)
Ø Equitable resource-sharing frameworks
Ø Representation in federal governance
Ø Participation in regional infrastructure and development projects
Ø Legal protection from foreign exploitation
Ø National defense support and counterterrorism cooperation
Recognition of the Hargeisa regime would undermine the sovereignty of Somalia, embolden separatist ideologies, and destabilize an already fragile region. It would legitimize Chinese exploitation, institutionalize tribal favoritism, and reward human rights violations.
In contrast, the One Somalia Policy offers a lawful, inclusive, and sustainable framework for peace, development, and democratic governance. The Federal Republic of Somalia calls upon its international partners, especially the United States, the European Union, and the United Kingdom, to uphold international law, respect Somalia’s territorial integrity, and reject the recognition of any tribal secessionist project.
Only through unity, justice, and mutual respect can Somalia and the broader region achieve lasting peace and prosperity.
Dr. Abdillahi Hashi Abib - BA, MA, MASc, Ph.D
Member of Foreign Affairs Committee
Federal Republic of Somalia the House of People
Mogadishu, Somalia
MP- HOP #201 Awdal Region and Gebileh District
Leader of the Accountability and Transparency Caucus of the House of People
E: abdillahi.abib@parliament.gov.so
W: + 1-571-436-7586 M: + 252-6108-22469
https://x.com/MPDrAbib/status/1910419765270831536
Hadahaabay habaar ku waalataa! What is with the shakes and tremors? Grow some balls, man. You do not see me claiming Burco, do you? Stay in your turf, and I'll not behead and imprison you in droves. Soo joog qofkii laga waayo, soo jiifsaa laga helaa! I am only serving you a dose of your own medicine. I do not do bihinbihin & beer jileec. I am not Che, Maakhiri, and those gentle souls in trance. I know who you are, and your games. Nothing, but a sword on your sooty scruff. Las Anod is a Somali city, Somali Prime Minister is welcome to it, and could visit at any time at own pleasure. You have been reduced to maata caana leh, and Jamaahiirta are on watch for the ill-fitted, starving, bare-feet SL militias in hiding.