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If no help comes, drought will push Somalia/Somaliland further into chaos, children and women will be the worst affected

Goth Mohamed - February 24, 2016

Somalia

Somalia: US offers $10M for info leading to American duo

UK’s National Zakat Foundation to work with U.N. on zakat mechanism for Somalia and Somaliland

Goth Mohamed - March 18, 2020

UK-based National Zakat Foundation (NZF) will work with the United Nations to develop a sovereign zakat mechanism in Somalia and Somaliland, according to Azim...

Goth Mohamed - April 6, 2025

Suspected Al-Shabaab militants fired six mortar shells toward the Aden Adde International Airport and the heavily fortified Halane compound in Mogadishu on Sunday morning,...

Goth Mohamed - June 3, 2024

Ethiopian and Somali government soldiers line-up before embarking on a joint patrol in areas south east of Dusamareeb, March 19, 2014, as they prepare...

Goth Mohamed - January 25, 2020

Somalian President Mohamed Abdilahi Farmajo receiving diplomatic credentials from European Union envoy to Somalia, Nicolás Berlanga Martinez. After 30 years of dictatorship and civil war,...

Goth Mohamed - January 10, 2024

The deal granting Ethiopia access to Somaliland’s coastline has raised the ire of Somalia, which considers Somaliland as part of its territory. The recent agreement...

Goth Mohamed - March 2, 2026

By Goth Mohamed Goth Garowe _ The Puntland Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports has revoked the operating license of Daallo Airlines, accusing the carrier...

Goth Mohamed - June 15, 2020

The second round of Somaliland-Somalia consultative meeting has resumed in Djibouti on Tuesday. The incumbent Djibouti President Ismail Omar Guelleh is chairing the meeting. The...

Goth Mohamed - March 11, 2026

By Goth Mohamed Goth Mogadishu — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has departed Somalia for an official visit to Djibouti, marking his first foreign trip since...

Goth Mohamed - May 16, 2022

Somalia Election Presidential candidates, former President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, center, and incumbent leader Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, right, attend a voting session for the presidential election...

Goth Mohamed - February 26, 2020

The historic Framework for Somalia’s Arrears Clearance and a Policy-based Operation was approved at a meeting of the Boards of Directors held Wednesday ABIDJAN, Ivory...

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President of the Republic of Somaliland Arrives in Washington, D.C

Somaliland Goth Mohamed - September 5, 2026 0

By Goth Mohamed Goth Washington, D.C. — The President of the Republic of Somaliland, His Excellency Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro), together with a high-level delegation,...

Somalia

Protests Erupt Across Somalia Over Turkish Airstrike Targeting General Shub

Somalia

‎Turkish Drone Strike on Former Police Chief Sparks Fears of Political...

Opinions

Somaliland Needs a Merit Based Public Service, Not Political Favoritism

Somaliland

Somaliland President Departs for Historic Working Visit to the United States

Somaliland

UK and Somaliland Electoral Commission Strengthen Ties on EMIS Implementation

Business & Economy

Ethiopian Business Association in Somaliland (ETBAS) Officially Launched in Hargeisa

Somaliland

President of the Republic of Somaliland Arrives in Washington, D.C

Goth Mohamed - September 5, 2026 0

By Goth Mohamed Goth Washington, D.C. — The President of the Republic of Somaliland, His Excellency Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro), together with a high-level delegation,...

Somaliland Needs a Merit Based Public Service, Not Political Favoritism

Opinions September 3, 2026

Somaliland President Departs for Historic Working Visit to the United States

Somaliland September 3, 2026

UK and Somaliland Electoral Commission Strengthen Ties on EMIS Implementation

Somaliland September 3, 2026

Ethiopian Business Association in Somaliland (ETBAS) Officially Launched in Hargeisa

Business & Economy September 3, 2026

SOLJA Board Elects New Chairman as Former Leader Rejects Removal, Calls...

Somaliland September 2, 2026

Should India Officially Recognize Somaliland?

Somaliland September 2, 2026

Somaliland Water Minister Engages with Regional and District Leaders in Erigavo...

Somaliland September 2, 2026

Somaliland’s Water Minister Outlines Development Agenda for Sanaag, Says President to...

Somaliland September 2, 2026

Somaliland’s Military Chief and Defence Minister Conduct Frontline Inspection in Sanaag...

Somaliland September 2, 2026

Somalia

Protests Erupt Across Somalia Over Turkish Airstrike Targeting General Shub

September 5, 2026 0

By Mustafa Abdi Ibrahim Mogadishu, Somalia — Hundreds of Somalis have taken to the streets in several cities across the country to protest a controversial...

‎Turkish Drone Strike on Former Police Chief Sparks Fears of Political...

Somalia September 4, 2026

‎An Analysis of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s Strategy in Las Anod, Somaliland

Somalia September 1, 2026

‎Somalia Urges Arab States to Leverage Influence to Curb Wider Recognition...

Somalia August 31, 2026

‎Qatar’s Carrot Fails as Somaliland Defies Pressure Over Israeli Ties and...

Somalia August 30, 2026

Turkish Forces Rescue Hijacked Cargo Vessel in Decisive Anti-Piracy Operation

Somalia August 29, 2026

Mogadishu on Edge: Land Evictions, Turkish F16 Flyover Fuel Public Anger

Somalia August 23, 2026

Geopolitical Crosscurrents Reshape the Horn of Africa and Eastern Mediterranean—Analysis

Somalia August 22, 2026

Somalia Reaffirms Unchanged Stance on Cyprus, Dismisses Social Media Post as...

Somalia August 22, 2026

‎Turkey’s Growing Footprint in Somalia: Partnership or Economic Takeover?

Somalia August 20, 2026

Opinion

Opinions

Somaliland Needs a Merit Based Public Service, Not Political Favoritism

September 3, 2026 0

Dear President Abdirahman Abdullahi, As you prepare for your next cabinet reshuffle, you have an opportunity to make a decision that could define your government's effectiveness: put the right people in the right positions. Cabinet appointments should not be driven primarily by political loyalty, the balancing of interests, or rewards for those who supported the government. These considerations may always exist in politics, but they should not outweigh the qualifications of those chosen to lead the country's ministries. Your government is moving beyond its early period. Citizens will increasingly judge the administration by what it delivers. Can ministries function more effectively? Can public services improve? Can public resources be managed responsibly? Can Somaliland attract investment and create opportunities for its young population? These outcomes require capable people. A president may have a strong vision and ambitious plans, but that vision means little if the people responsible for implementation lack the capacity to deliver. The government's goals must be matched by the abilities of those appointed to lead its ministries. When there is a gap between ambition and administrative capacity, the result is a misaligned government. As a member of the diaspora living in Somaliland, I have observed good intentions at the top but uneven execution below. That is why the next reshuffle matters. Somaliland needs ministers who understand the responsibilities they are being asked to assume. A person appointed to lead a ministry should bring a relevant combination of education, professional experience, management ability, and a record of achievement. A ministry is not a political trophy. It is a public institution whose performance affects citizens' daily lives. Political experience alone should not automatically qualify someone to lead a technical ministry. Nor should a close relationship with the president, membership in the governing political camp, or strong personal connections be enough. This does not mean politics has no place in government. It does. Presidents have political responsibilities, and governments need people they can trust. But trust and competence should not be treated as competing choices. The president should seek people who are both trustworthy and capable. The Somaliland diaspora also deserves careful consideration. Somaliland has produced many highly educated professionals with valuable experience in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere. Bringing that experience home can benefit the country enormously. But diaspora status should not confer automatic preference. No one should become a minister simply because they worked abroad or have an impressive resume. The same standard should apply to everyone. What have they accomplished? What do they know about the ministry they would lead? Have they managed people and budgets? Have they solved difficult problems? Can they work within Somaliland's realities rather than simply import ideas from another country? These are the questions that should guide appointments. One practical step would be to interview serious candidates before making senior appointments. This should not be a political interview, but a rigorous assessment of each candidate's ability to do the job. Ask candidates what they have accomplished, what they understand about the ministry, what they would change in their first six months, and how they would measure success. Then verify their qualifications and professional history. This would not eliminate political appointments, but it would introduce a basic element of accountability into the process. There is nothing radical about this approach. Governments around the world increasingly recognize that professional civil service is essential to effective government. Research by the Anti-Corruption Evidence programme has also identified links between merit-based recruitment, stronger motivation, lower corruption, and better public-service performance. For Somaliland, this should not be merely an academic discussion. We have limited resources and a long list of national priorities. Every ministry that fails to perform represents a lost opportunity. Your administration has already achieved what many people once considered extremely difficult by securing international recognition from Israel while continuing to build broader support for Somaliland. That is an important development. But recognition, diplomacy, and foreign relations are only part of the larger challenge of building a functioning state. Somaliland also needs institutions that work. It needs ministries that can implement policy, officials who understand public finance, and competent leaders for infrastructure, education, health, investment, fisheries, agriculture, mining, security, and other critical sectors. Most importantly, citizens need to see that government appointments are made because a person can do the job, not simply because they are politically connected. Mr. President, the next cabinet reshuffle gives you an opportunity to establish a different standard. Choose people who can deliver. Choose people who understand their responsibilities. Choose people whose results can be measured and who can be held accountable when they fail. If a politically loyal person is also the best person for the job, appoint them. If a political ally is not qualified to lead a particular ministry, do not appoint them simply because they are an ally. That is what merit should mean. Somaliland cannot afford to place unprepared people in important positions and wait years to discover that they were never capable of carrying the responsibility. The country needs experienced professionals, capable managers, effective politicians, and people with a genuine understanding of Somaliland's circumstances. The next cabinet should therefore not be about who deserves a position. It should be about who can do the job. That would send a powerful message to Somaliland's citizens, investors, development partners, and the international community that Somaliland is serious about building institutions based on competence, accountability, and performance. Somaliland needs a government that serves the country, not individuals or political interests. And that starts with putting the right people in the right positions. Thank you, and God bless Somaliland. Mohamed Ibrahim is a Somaliland businessman and public-affairs commentator based in Hargeisa. He holds an MBA and has a professional background in business, journalism, media, and public affairs. He is the founder and former Chief Editor of SomalilandPress, an independent online news and analysis platform covering political, economic, and social developments in Somaliland and the wider Horn of Africa. He can be reached at moguled@gmail.com. Reference: Governance and Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence (GI ACE), Civil Service Reform and Anti-Corruption in Developing Countries: Tools and Evidence from Eight Countries in Four Developing Regions. GI ACE. Civil Service Reform and Anti-Corruption in Developing Countries.