Sunday, September 6, 2026
Facebook Instagram X
Home Somaliland President of the Republic of Somaliland Arrives in Washington, D.C

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

By
Goth Mohamed
-
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, has safely arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD). The delegation received a warm welcome from members of the Somaliland diaspora community based in the United States, as well as friends and supporters of Somaliland.

Accompanying the President on this working visit are the First Lady of the Republic and several senior officials, including:

  1. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
  2. The Minister of Aviation and Airport Development
  3. The Minister of Defense
  4. The Senior Economic Advisor to the President
  5. The Senior Advisor to the President on Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

The delegation will be further joined during the visit by the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Somaliland, the Minister of the Presidency, and the Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Throughout his official visit to the United States, President Irro is scheduled to hold meetings and consultations with key U.S. officials and other important stakeholders. The discussions will center on strengthening bilateral diplomatic relations, enhancing security and economic cooperation, attracting foreign investment, and garnering international support for the recognition of the Republic of Somaliland.

This visit is more than a routine diplomatic engagement; it is a national initiative aimed at advancing the strategic interests, international standing, and sovereign aspirations of the Republic of Somaliland. President Irro and his delegation will present to Washington Somaliland’s vision, its political realities, its strategic significance in the Horn of Africa, and the unequivocal desire of its people to achieve international recognition through mutually beneficial partnerships and sustained cooperation.

Post Views: 184

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

Leave a Reply

Protests Erupt Across Somalia Over Turkish Airstrike Targeting General Shub

Eygpt 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...
Read more

Somaliland

Opinions

Somaliland Needs a Merit Based Public Service, Not Political Favoritism 

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.

Somaliland President Departs for Historic Working Visit to the United States

Somaliland

UK and Somaliland Electoral Commission Strengthen Ties on EMIS Implementation

Somaliland

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

Business & Economy

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

Somaliland

Should India Officially Recognize Somaliland?

Somaliland

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

Somaliland

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

Somaliland

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

Somaliland

Somaliland Launches Specialized Training to Boost Equine Health Care

Somaliland

Somalia

- Advertisement -

Opinion

Opinions

Somaliland Needs a Merit Based Public Service, Not Political Favoritism 

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.

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

Opinions

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

Opinions

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

Opinions

‎Security Crossroads: Intelligence Gaps, Foreign Vetting, and the Terror Funding Pipeline...

Opinions

Before Farmers Can Improve Their Soil, Somaliland Needs to Know What...

Opinions

Tragedy at Hargeisa Group Hospital: When Money Overshadows Mercy

Opinions

From Architectural Dreams to National Development: Celebrating Somaliland’s Young Architects on International Youth Day 2026

Opinions

Business & Economy

Ethiopia

Kenya

World

Eritrea

Djibouti

Science & Technology

Sports

Post Views: 184