Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has called for dialogue with Somalia’s Federal Government, saying discussions are necessary to safeguard the Somali state. He also accused Somalia’s president of seeking to destabilise Puntland through militia groups.
Deni made the remarks while opening the 59th session of the Puntland House of Representatives, where he addressed security concerns, political tensions with Mogadishu and the future of Somalia’s state-building process.
Speaking about security in Puntland, Deni said security forces had dismantled militia groups that he accused of being part of a plan to destabilise his administration. The allegations come amid an ongoing dispute between Puntland and the federal government over Somalia’s political system, constitutional amendments and decisions concerning the country’s state-building process.
Puntland has opposed several measures taken by the federal government, arguing that decisions on major national issues should be reached through agreement and consensus among political stakeholders.
Despite his criticism of the federal government, Deni called for dialogue, describing it as necessary to safeguard the Somali state. However, the political dispute between the two sides remains unresolved.
Addressing Puntland’s security institutions, Deni said his administration had trained thousands of soldiers and would continue developing the region’s security forces. He also reaffirmed Puntland’s commitment to a Somali state based on a federal system of governance.
Deni’s remarks reflect the continuing disagreements between Puntland and the federal government over political and constitutional issues, alongside his call for dialogue to address their differences.
It remains unclear how the federal government will respond to the appeal or whether formal talks will begin to resolve the dispute.
