Why the Inauguration of the North East State of Somalia Matters

By Abdullahi Salad - Reporter

Somalia, 17 January 2026 - Las Anod today is not merely a city hosting an inauguration ceremony—it is a place where history is being rewritten.

The President of Somalia, the Prime Minister, and the largest delegation of ministers from the federal government have all gathered in Las Anod, the capital of the North East State of Somalia, to attend the inauguration of the newly established federal member state.

This ceremony is far from ordinary. It carries deep political, historical, and strategic significance. So, what makes this inauguration particularly important?

1. President Hassan’s Visit to Las Anod

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is the first Somali president to officially visit Las Anod since the era of Mohamed Siad Barre, the leader of Somalia’s former military government. His visit breaks a long period of political isolation that the city had endured.

2. A Democratically Elected President

President Hassan is also the first Somali president elected through a political process to visit Las Anod since the 1969 visit of Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke, who was assassinated there shortly before Mohamed Siad Barre seized power in a military coup.

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3. Las Anod’s Changing Political Reality

The inauguration comes after months of fighting that resulted in Las Anod fully exiting the control of the Hargeisa administration. This development unfolds at a time when Somaliland is facing growing political pressure, with the Somali president now positioned less than 400 kilometers from Hargeisa.

4. Hassan and Hamza Together

For the first time in more than three years, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre have jointly attended an inauguration ceremony. This underscores the priority the federal government places on the North East State and its importance within Somalia’s federal framework.

5. Redefining the Northern Regions Narrative

For over three decades, Somaliland has argued that northern regions have the right to secede from Somalia. However, the formation of the North East State—one of those northern regions that is now formally part of the Federal Government of Somalia—significantly alters that narrative, weakening Somaliland’s secession argument at a time when its international recognition campaign, including Israel's recognition, remains highly contested.

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