By HAN News Desk
LAS ANOD — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Sunday renewed his call for dialogue with Somaliland’s leadership while firmly ruling out any discussion of secession, saying Somalia’s territorial unity is “non-negotiable.”
Speaking at the inauguration of the newly formed Northeastern State administration in Las Anod, Mohamud said the federal government is prepared to engage in talks “at any level” with Somaliland authorities but stressed that independence remains a red line.
“All doors to dialogue are open, except the one that leads to the division of Somalia,” Mohamud said. “Somalia is one country, internationally recognized, and all Somalis belong to it.”
Somaliland, a self-declared republic in Somalia’s northwest, has sought international recognition since 1991 but remains unrecognized by the United Nations and the African Union. Relations between Mogadishu and Hargeisa have long been strained, with negotiations repeatedly stalling.
Mohamud said the federal government is also ready to facilitate a prisoner exchange between Somaliland forces and the newly established Northeastern administration, urging both sides to release detainees as a confidence-building measure.
“Releasing prisoners can help restore trust and open the path toward reconciliation,” he said.
In strongly worded remarks, the president warned against what he described as foreign interference in Somalia’s internal affairs. He rejected claims that Israel had recognized Somaliland, saying any such move would be unacceptable.
“Mogadishu will never allow Israel to establish a base or presence on Somali territory or anywhere in the Horn of Africa,” Mohamud said, adding that Somalia opposes what he described as the expansionist agenda of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Somali government, he said, has dismissed any purported recognition of Somaliland both domestically and internationally. He urged Somaliland’s leaders to abandon what he called a futile pursuit of international recognition.
“Do not waste your time trying to create a new country,” Mohamud said. “Come and lead Somalia with us. We are ready to discuss a better future — one that ensures past injustices are not repeated — but that future can only be achieved through unity, dialogue and compromise.”
The speech comes amid shifting political dynamics in northern Somalia following months of conflict in the Las Anod region and the emergence of new local administrations aligned with the federal government.
