 under the auspices of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) marks...){kind=link}
The recent establishment of the Waqooyi Bari State (North-East State) under the auspices of the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) marks a critical moment in the country’s federal restructuring and the contested governance of northern-Somalia’s Sool, Sanaag and Cayn regions. What began as the interim administration of Khatumo State and prior claims by Maakhir State has now been formally institutionalised. This transformation is underpinned by federal announcements of funding and integration, yet it also puts the FGS squarely in the cross-hairs of regional rivalries with both Puntland State of Somalia and Somaliland.
Reliable reporting shows that on 30 July 2025, delegates in Las Anod ratified a constitution for the new state and agreed seat allocations (45 to SSC-Khatumo, 38 to Maakhir) ahead of state-parliament elections. The federal government signalled recognition of the state and pledged to provide institutional and financial support.
The Origins of Maakhir, the Unification with Khatumo
Maakhir was first proclaimed in 2007 by local traditional leaders in eastern Sanaag, led by figures such as Jibrell Ali Salaad, seeking autonomous administration distinct from both Puntland and Somaliland. Over time, political pressure and alignments shifted. In 2025 the Maakhir claim joined the Khatumo/SSC (Sool-Sanaag-Cayn) political platform to form the new Waqooyi Bari State. The union is arranged to absorb competing identity claims, centralise representation and facilitate federal integration.
Analysts note that the unification process did not proceed with full consensus: observers raise questions of legitimacy, transparency and the exclusion of some clan constituencies.
Where Puntland Stands
Puntland has vocally rejected the creation of the new state, arguing that the integrity of its territorial claims (particularly over Sool, Sanaag and Buuhoodle areas via clan links) is being undermined. According to reportage, Puntland’s parliament speaker described the process as lacking political vision and as a “division-sowing” move by Mogadishu.
From Puntland’s perspective the key issues include:
- The procedural legitimacy of the new state’s formation without Puntland’s full involvement or consent.
- Concern that federal funding and recognition will shift loyalty away from Puntland to the new administration based in Las Anod.
- The security dimension: with federal backing, the new state might consolidate control over contested border-areas, reducing Puntland’s strategic depth and influence.
Thus, Puntland finds itself in a position of opposition to the federal decision. The risk is a protracted institutional standoff, and possibly an escalation in local militia or regional force alignments if negotiations do not succeed.
Where Somaliland Stands
The Somaliland administration maintains that the territories in question (notably Sool and parts of eastern Sanaag) belong constitutionally to its self-declared entity. The emergence of Waqooyi Bari therefore challenges Hargeisa’s claims. While Somaliland does not formally recognise the federal restructure in Mogadishu, it has shown pragmatism by engaging in talks with Puntland on border-security and cooperative arrangements — suggesting its strategy is dual: defend territorial claims and prevent instability that might degrade its own position.
Observers note that Somaliland may view the new state as a threat to its de facto sovereignty but also an incentive to pursue negotiated settlement rather than open confrontation.
What the Federal Government Intends: Funding, Institutionalisation, Strengthening New Leadership
The FGS has outlined several intentions for embedding and strengthening the new state:
- Financial transfers and institutional capacity-building: The government announced it will provide budgetary support and training for the state machinery to become operational.
- Institutional integration of legacy administrations: The former Maakhir and SSC-Khatumo structures are being formally merged into the new entity, through parliamentary seat allocation and election of state leadership, thereby reducing parallel administrations.
- Security-governance linkages: By recognising the state and encouraging local governance, the FGS hopes to stabilise a region long prone to conflict over contested governance, stakes which include resource control, clan affiliation, and cross-border dynamics with Somaliland and Puntland.
- Leadership legitimacy: With the election of a state president and parliament (as reported for the new state) the FGS seeks to anchor local accountability, link the leaders to federal structures and craft a viable governance model.
Conclusion
The creation of the Waqooyi Bari State signals a strategic turning point for Somalia’s federal architecture and for the northern provinces long caught between competing administrations. On paper, the joint recognition of Maakhir and Khatumo within a single federal member state offers a pathway to more coherent governance, more direct federal funding and potentially greater local representation. However, the move is simultaneously a fault-line: it challenges Puntland’s territorial and clan-based influence, contests Somaliland’s claims, and sets the federal government in the role of arbiter and patron in a region where legitimacy is contested. The success or failure of this enterprise will hinge on one key dynamic — whether the funds and institutions promised by Mogadishu reach the grassroots with transparency, whether the leadership of the new state commands genuine local buy-in, and whether the lingering disputes with Puntland and Somaliland are managed through dialogue rather than confrontation. If those conditions hold, Waqooyi Bari could become a model of functional federalism in Somalia; if they fail, it risks becoming another contested territory, emblematic of exclusion and fragmentation rather than integration.
Editor’s Note : Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com
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