The Republic of Somaliland is standing strong with Israel despite outcry from Somalia and Gaza. And Somaliland also has a warning for Americans about a Democrat activist in Minnesota who reportedly has jihadi ties.
There are many instances of Jihadis who have attacked their fellow Muslims when they perceive those Muslims to be not radical enough. Perhaps the most obvious example in recent years was on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas terrorists were, of course, primarily targeting Jews, but they also murdered and tortured Muslim Arabs who were Israeli citizens. And Muslim Israeli soldiers were casualties in combat against Hamas and its fellow terror groups in the war that followed. A similar hatred appears to be latent in the case of the Minnesota radical who is just as eager to see Jihad against the Muslim Republic of Somaliland as he is against Christian or Jewish nations.
The Republic of Somaliland’s account on X reshared an article from Horndiplomat highlighting how the envoy from Somaliland, Ambassador Bashir Goth, attended Israel’s independence celebration in Washington on May 15. Israel, like Taiwan, recently recognized Somaliland as independent from corrupt and undemocratic Somalia, launching a partnership between the only democratic nation in the Horn of Africa and the only Jewish nation in the world.
links to Al-Shabaab. The Trump White House confirmed at the end of last year that Minnesota Somali fraudsters funneled U.S. taxpayer money to Al-Shabaab, so it wouldn’t be surprising if a Democrat Minnesota activist turned out to have Al-Shabaab ties, too.
Editor’s Note: Every single day, here at PJ Media, we will stand up and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT against the radical Left and deliver the conservative reporting our readers deserve.
ACCRA – The leader of Somaliland’s WADDANI Party, H.E. Mr. Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan, has announced that the party held a significant meeting in Accra, the capital of Ghana, with the leadership of Ghana’s ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The NDC leadership welcomed the delegation warmly at the party’s national headquarters.
In addition, WADDANI held a preliminary meeting with Ghana’s Minister for the Interior, Hon. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, who is also a senior figure within the NDC.
During the discussions with the NDC leadership, both sides exchanged valuable insights and practical recommendations aimed at fostering inter-party relations and deep cooperation, which will now commence between the two parties.
“As WADDANI, this step represents a major achievement for us,” said Hirsi Ali Haji Hassan. “It follows our earlier engagements with ruling parties in Ethiopia, Kenya, and South Africa. Our main objective is for WADDANI to benefit from the experience of political parties around the world and to elevate the reputation of the Republic of Somaliland.”
He concluded: “WADDANI triumphs, Somaliland triumphs!”
Each and every year on the 18th May, we the people of Somaliland remember, we will always remember the mothers and fathers who laid down their lives for peace and progress of this honourable nation. We always remember these fallen heroes and heroines because of their loyal contribution. Saeed Furaa
Today the history of our beloved country is written as a result of their hands, we remember them because our history is written by their toil and misery. We remember them because their hunger to give us equal opportunities is unmatched, we remember because they taught us to change the world with words and not with guns, we remember because we cannot afford to forget.
It is my greatest hope that this year’s anniversary (18th May 2026) could be different in that we can remember our duties to continue writing and teaching our history to the young and the frail, so they can take pride in their historical identity as the people of courage and wisdom, because those who fell taught them better.
Anniversaries are not supposed to be fashion shows or just happy moments, but a chance to reflect about whom we are and who we want to be.
When the 18th May 2026 arrives (insha allah), I hope we could all of us remember where we come and where we want to go as the people of Somaliland. When we celebrate we must ask ourselves: “how will history remember us?” will it remember us as fashionable people who gathers to entertain large audience by dancing or just singing with no modest, or as people of duty to a country? Will people in centuries to come speak about our names or they will never know we existed?
As the co-founder of Somaliland Community in Southern Africa, I will commemorate and remember the befallen this year because it is the right thing to do. I believe that when this year’s anniversary comes we all must ask ourselves what we can do for Somaliland. Personally I think we can do more as the people of the Diaspora. I think we can make significant changes to the lives of the many and millions by constantly talking and urging other nations to take cognizance of our strides as the Somaliland people in as far as peace stability is concerned and economic attempts in reconstruction.
The theme on the forth coming 18th May, should be CHANGE, I am ardent believer in socio-political and economical change in Somaliland and civic duty and I believe we have the resources to foster change from where we are. We can do more together.
I believe Somaliland is fortunate to have us in the Diaspora in order to strengthen foreign relations and support, but to do that we must have common vision.
Long Live Somaliland
Saeed Furaa
South Africa
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“Horn of African Social Entrepreneurs in South Africa (HASEFSA) are passionate about youth development through practical business and entrepreneurial skills”
The Hargeisa Local Government, in partnership with the DTGLOBAL–SINAAN initiative and financial support from the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), has officially launched a comprehensive waste management and solutions campaign to improve sanitation across the capital.
Announced yesterday, the initiative will be rolled out in all nine districts of Hargeisa, responding to growing concerns over waste accumulation and urban cleanliness.
Speaking at the launch ceremony, Mukhtar Mohamed Gahnug, Secretary of the Hargeisa Local Government, confirmed that the campaign will initially focus on key districts, including Mohamud Haibe, Mohamed Moge, and Ahmed Dhagah.
He noted that while the city has traditionally relied on monthly clean-up exercises—held on the last Thursday of each month—to manage waste levels, the new program will significantly strengthen and expand these efforts to address the escalating waste burden.
“This campaign will help us manage the immense pressure of waste we have been facing,” Gahnug said. “We are grateful to the UK government for its financial support, and to DTGlobal and Sinaan for collaborating with us on sustainable waste solutions, including recycling and potential waste-to-resource systems.”
According to local officials, the campaign will introduce structured waste segregation at collection points, separating refuse from households and food establishments such as hotels and restaurants. Technical experts will be deployed to assess and guide the process, ensuring both efficiency and long-term sustainability.
Authorities stressed that the initiative aims not only to clean the city but also to fundamentally transform waste handling practices—including exploring opportunities for recycling and material reuse.
“Globally, waste is no longer simply dumped; it is repurposed and turned into value,” Gahnug added, highlighting the shift toward sustainable waste management.
The campaign is expected to mark a major advancement in public health, environmental cleanliness, and urban management in Hargeisa.
MOGADISHU – The Somali Future Council issued a press statement on 15 May 2026, congratulating Somali youth on the 81st anniversary of the founding of the Somali youth struggle, marked as Somali Youth Day.
However, the Council expressed regret in informing the Somali public and the international community that political talks held in Mogadishu from 13 to 15 May 2026 between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somali Future Council – facilitated by international partners – have collapsed. According to the Council, the failure occurred because the former President and his administration rejected a political agreement based on an inclusive transition process, national consensus, and shared responsibility to resolve the constitutional vacuum created by the expiry of the President’s term on 15 May 2026.
The Council stated that it entered the negotiations in good faith, with responsibility and sincerity, but that the former President instead chose the path of political conflict, instability, and security disruption.
Reaffirming its constitutional position, the Somali Future Council declared that the President’s term legally ended on 15 May 2026, in line with Article 91 of the Provisional Constitution. Consequently, the Council recognises Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as a former president.
To ensure continuity of state institutions and avoid an administrative vacuum, the Council believes that during the transition period, the Federal Government must operate under executive power restraint – confined to technical and administrative functions – and refrain from unilateral decisions on political matters, the constitution, elections, and national security.
The Council warned that unilateral actions by the former president would further escalate political tensions, violate constitutional law, and undermine national unity and stability at a time when Somalia still faces serious security threats from Al-Shabaab and ISIS. The Council added that it would peacefully and legally prevent Hassan Sheikh from continuing to lead the country without legal or political legitimacy.
Call to Security Forces
The Somali Future Council called on all security forces to uphold their constitutional duty to protect the Somali people and the nation, and to recognise that Mr. Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is a former president from whom they should not take executive orders. The Council also commended the various armed forces fighting terrorist groups on the front lines.
Political Roadmap
The Council announced that it is establishing a political framework to address how to preserve Somali statehood and national unity during the transition period.
Acknowledgements
Finally, the Council thanked international partners who supported the dialogue process and reiterated its commitment to managing and resolving the political transition period.
Mogadishu, 15 May 2026 – The Federal Government of Somalia has announced that it will proceed with a nationwide one-person, one-vote election, declaring that the country has entered a transition toward a fully democratic system based on universal suffrage.
In an official press release, the government said it is fulfilling its constitutional obligation to grant Somali citizens their right to elect and be elected. The statement noted that continuous consultations have been held with electoral stakeholders and civil society to gather input.
Over the past three days, the government engaged some opposition members in dialogue. However, the press release said those opposition figures brought forward views that contradict the fundamental right of every citizen to vote and stand for election.
“The Federal Government of Somalia informs the Somali people that a free, fair, and transparent one-person, one-vote election will take place in the country, in full compliance with the Constitution, national laws, and the political programme set out by the government,” the statement read.
Despite the deadlock with regional presidents and opposition leaders, the government reiterated that the door to dialogue and consultation remains open.
BACKGROUND – Stalemate Over Electoral Consensus
Efforts by Somalia’s Federal Government to reach a broad political consensus on the upcoming one-person, one-vote election have hit an impasse. Regional state leaders and key opposition figures have repeatedly clashed with the federal authorities over the timing, security arrangements, and power-sharing formulas. While the government insists on a direct universal suffrage model as mandated by the constitution, several federal member states have called for a hybrid system to ensure clan representation. Multiple rounds of talks mediated by international partners have failed to produce a unified roadmap, deepening the political divide ahead of the planned vote.
When concerns are raised about Turkish influence over energy operations in Somaliland, the standard reassurance is familiar: there is no Turkish state ownership involved. Companies such as Genel Energy are publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange, incorporated in Jersey, and governed by international corporate standards. On paper, this should settle the matter.
In reality, it does not.
The concern was never about formal ownership. It is about informal political pressure and how such pressure operates in geopolitically contested environments.
The Limits of the Ownership Argument
Genel Energy is, by every formal metric, a British registered independent. Yet its shareholder structure tells a more complicated story. As of 2023, its largest shareholder was Bilgin Grup Doğal Gaz A.Ş., a Turkish conglomerate holding roughly 22 per cent of the company, while private companies collectively held a majority stake. Genel also maintains an operational office in Istanbul alongside its London headquarters.
None of this constitutes state control. But that is beside the point. Formal ownership is visible, regulated, and legally constrained. Informal influence is none of these things.
In countries where the executive wields strong authority and foreign policy is closely linked to national strategy, large private firms and financial institutions are rarely fully insulated from political expectations, especially on sensitive regional issues. Influence need not take the form of directives to be effective. It can operate through signalling, regulatory discretion, access to capital, and an implicit understanding of national priorities.
Turkey’s Strategic Stakes in Somaliland
Turkey’s opposition to Somaliland’s international recognition is neither abstract nor passive. It is an active component of Ankara’s regional strategy in the Horn of Africa.
Over the past decade, Turkey has become Somalia’s most influential external partner, combining humanitarian engagement with infrastructure investment and direct military support. In February 2024, Ankara and Mogadishu signed a wide ranging defence and economic cooperation agreement that effectively positioned Turkey as Somalia’s security guarantor.
That relationship shapes Turkey’s posture toward Somaliland directly. When Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a memorandum of understanding in January 2024, under which Ethiopia would gain access to the port of Berbera in exchange for a commitment to recognise Somaliland, Turkey moved quickly to undermine it. Leveraging ties with both Addis Ababa and Mogadishu, Ankara promoted alternative arrangements routing Ethiopian trade through ports in southern Somalia managed by Turkish interests rather than through the Emirati managed port of Berbera. The Ethiopia Somaliland agreement was subsequently frozen under Turkish Somali pressure.
The pattern repeated in December 2025, when Israel became the first country to formally recognise Somaliland. Turkey’s response was swift and unambiguous, condemning the move as illegitimate and coordinating opposition with Somalia, Egypt, and Djibouti. This is not the posture of a country indifferent to Somaliland’s status. Turkey is among the most active opponents of its recognition, defending concrete strategic and economic interests along the Red Sea corridor.
How Informal Pressure Shapes Outcomes
Against this backdrop, the presence of large Turkish private shareholders in a company operating in Somaliland’s most strategically sensitive sector inevitably introduces risk, even without overt interference.
That risk is structural. Shareholders may press for delays, additional risk assessments, or more conservative capital allocation. Strategic hesitation can be justified on entirely legitimate grounds: security concerns, ESG considerations, insurance costs, or compliance risk. None of these arguments need reference politics. Yet the outcomes may still align neatly with a state’s foreign policy objectives.
Consider the record. Genel has held its Somaliland licence since 2012 and has maintained a consistent presence in Hargeisa. Yet the Toosan 1 exploration well remains undrilled more than a decade later, with progress repeatedly described as contingent on further optimisation, stakeholder engagement, and enabling conditions. These delays may be commercially explicable. But they also fit the pattern one would expect where informal political pressure encourages caution without requiring explicit intervention.
No allegation of bad faith is implied. The point is simpler: in geopolitically contested environments, commercially defensible hesitation and politically convenient hesitation are indistinguishable from the outside.
Risk Aversion as a Political Instrument
This dynamic is not unique to Turkey. Similar patterns appear wherever private capital and national strategy intersect, whether in state adjacent Chinese firms, Gulf sovereign investment, or politically exposed Russian capital during periods of tension.
The lesson is that risk aversion itself can become a political instrument. It requires no conspiracy and no coercion. It requires only a shared understanding of political realities and behaviour adjusted accordingly under the cover of reasonable commercial caution.
For Somaliland, the stakes are unusually high. Energy development is not merely an economic project. It is tied directly to fiscal capacity, state credibility, and international engagement. Sustained uncertainty in flagship projects weakens Somaliland’s economic narrative and reinforces the argument, advanced by its opponents, that its political status remains too unresolved to support serious investment.
What This Means for Somaliland
The answer is not to shun foreign investment, but to approach it with clear eyed realism. That means diversifying partners, limiting concentration of influence from states with defined interests in Somaliland’s status, and structuring contracts robustly enough to distinguish genuine commercial delay from structural hesitation.
Formal ownership structures tell only part of the story. In environments where sovereignty itself is contested, it is the informal pressures, unseen, deniable, and structural, that often matter most. Precisely because they are hardest to prove, they are also the hardest to ignore.
Hargeisa – The National Peace Committee of the Republic of Somaliland held a significant meeting with officials from the British Government, namely Paul-Andre Wilton from the UK Embassy in Kenya and Louise Hancock, Head of the UK Office for Somaliland.
The discussions focused on strengthening relations and cooperation between Somaliland and the UK, particularly in the areas of peace, stability, and regional partnership.
The officials also exchanged views on the security situation in the region, Somaliland’s role in maintaining peace, and ways to further deepen bilateral cooperation.
The Somaliland National Peace Committee expressed gratitude to the UK government for its support and solidarity with Somaliland. In turn, the UK officials commended Somaliland’s efforts in promoting peace, stability, and regional security.
Last week, the Somaliland Field Office successfully conducted a document safety training for 20 Somaliland Immigration and Border Control Officers, including four female officers.
Officers from different stations across Somaliland actively engaged in the training, strengthening their knowledge and practical skills in passport inspection, identifying printing techniques, and recognizing security features in official documents.
The training also included presentations on the differences between regular passengers and diplomatic travellers, airport security, and safety procedures, as well as open-source intelligence and intelligence-gathering techniques.
This training plays a vital role in enhancing the capacity, professionalism, and operational effectiveness of Immigration Officers, while also contributing to the improvement of the quality of services provided to the community.
By Jama Ayaanle Feyte
Accra, Ghana – Hon Hersi Haji Ali Hassan , the Chairman of Somaliland’s ruling party, Waddani, has described the 8th Africa Political Summit (APS 2026) as a vital opportunity to build strong relationships with ruling parties across the Horn of Africa, the continent, and the wider world.
The Chairman , who travelled to Accra for the landmark conference, confirmed that Waddani Party is deepening its diplomatic and political engagement with other African political organisations.
“It is a pleasure that the ruling party, WADDANI, has established good relations with the ruling parties in the Horn of Africa, as well as across Africa and the world,” the Hon. Hersi said.
The summit, organised by the Association of Political Consultants – Africa (APC-Africa), was held on May 14, 2026, at the University of Professional Studies (UPSA) in Accra, Ghana. The host country for this year’s edition was Ghana.
Reinventing Political Campaigns
Under the theme “Reinventing Political Campaigns: Strategy, Technology, Resourcing, and Grassroots Mobilization”, the event brought together political strategists, party leaders, and election experts from across the continent.
The programme featured keynote addresses, panel discussions, and the presentation of the Africa Democracy Award. Among the solidarity speakers listed was Hersi Ali H. Hassan, National Chairman of the Waddani Party, Somaliland.
The morning plenary sessions focused on campaign management, voter engagement, data-driven political strategy, and the future of political campaigning in Africa.
National Day Message
At the conclusion of his remarks, the Chairman of Waddani reminded Somalilanders of an important upcoming occasion:
“This is for our National Day on 18 May!”
The reference is to Somaliland’s independence day, celebrated annually on 18 May, marking the country’s restoration of sovereignty following the collapse of the Somali central government in 1991.
Growing Continental Influence
The summit highlighted the increasing role of African political parties in sharing best practices on election strategy, digital campaigning, and party financing. The Waddani Party’s active participation signals Somaliland’s continued efforts to forge political partnerships despite its lack of international recognition.
APC-Africa has indicated that the 9th Africa Political Summit will be hosted in another member country in 2027.
Jama Ayaanle Feyte is .Journalist, Horn of Africa Security Expert and Political Analyst
