Somalia Reaffirms Sovereignty Over Berbera Port

[Deeq A.]

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud swore an oath to safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity and national assets of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Mogadishu (PP Editorial) — The letter from the Federal Government of Somalia to the Government of the United States regarding Berbera Port reflects President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s resolve to protect the territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Under international law, no foreign entity—whether governmental, parastatal or private—can take over the management or use of Somali state infrastructure without the permission of the Federal Government of Somalia.

The President of the Somaliland administration, Abdirahman M. Abdullahi, misleadingly claimed that Berbera Port does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government of Somalia. Unilateral secession cannot redraw borders, nor can it grant secessionists the legal right to claim sovereignty on par with that of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Last year, Somalia was granted debt relief, thanks to efforts by the international partners to shield the country from servicing debts despite state collapse and prolonged conflict. Much of Somalia has undergone reconstruction without international assistance. Demographic changes have taken place in parts of the country that were under-invested before 1991. For more than two decades, Somalia was absent from international forums— a blessing in disguise, as entrepreneurship filled the institutional void left by the collapse of the state 34 years ago.

Though inadequately implemented, the federal system of government has provided a strong foundation for forming federal member states, as well as a framework for political stakeholders to resolve their differences peacefully. The debt relief is a remarkable outcome of ending the transitional period in 2012.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud initially adopted a policy of treating secessionist claims as semi-legitimate grounds for secession. He has  never put in place the necessary safeguards to prevent Somaliland administration leaders from attempting to lease a naval base to Ethiopia in violation of Somalia’s sovereignty. Somalia’s national infrastructure belongs to its citizens, and a Somali president takes an oath to protect the country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and national assets.

© Puntland Post, 2025

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