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Hargeisa, April 20, 2025 – President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi “Cirro” delivered his first address to a joint session of Parliament today, offering his most detailed blueprint yet for Somaliland’s national security, economic policy, and foreign affairs agenda. In a speech that stretched nearly two hours, the President announced the formation of the Somaliland National Reserve Forces and outlined his administration’s achievements during its first 100 days in office.
The joint session, attended by members of both houses, Supreme Court justices, political party leaders, cabinet ministers, and military brass, was notably stripped of the ceremonial fanfare that characterized prior administrations. Attendees described the mood as businesslike, reflecting President Abdirahman Cirro’s emerging governance style: heavy on policy, light on theatrics.
National Reserve Forces
The establishment of the Somaliland National Reserve Forces emerged as the headline announcement of the day—a significant shift in the republic’s military doctrine. The President, however, provided no operational details, leaving open questions about the force’s size, recruitment model, and legal framework.
Global models for reserve forces present contrasting approaches: countries like Finland, Israel, and Singapore maintain mandatory reserve service following compulsory military training, while others such as the United States operate volunteer-based systems where citizens balance civilian careers with part-time military service. Which path Somaliland intends to pursue remains unclear, though security experts acknowledge that each option carries vastly different implications for cost, readiness, and public support.
This new force represents one component of a broader security reform package introduced since President Abdirahman Cirro’s administration took office. Other elements include the nationalization of clan militias, comprehensive biometric registration to eliminate “ghost soldiers” from payrolls, and enhanced Coast Guard capabilities—which the President claimed have “tripled” without specifying whether this refers to vessels, manpower, or funding allocations.
Peace in Erigavo and Vice President’s Role
The President celebrated what he characterized as one of the administration’s crowning achievements: brokering an end to a nine-year clan conflict in Erigavo that had resulted in significant bloodshed and regional instability. The complex peace agreement involved the disarmament of clan militias and their formal integration into national forces.
In a notable moment of public recognition, the President credited the success to a high-level delegation led by Vice President Mohamed Ali Aw Abdi, comprising military commanders, cabinet ministers, parliamentarians, and traditional leaders. He singled out the Vice President’s diplomatic efforts for special praise, requesting the assembly to recognize him with applause—a rare display of executive collegiality in Somaliland’s often competitive political landscape.
State of the Nation and Security Reforms
President Abdirahman Cirro used substantial portions of his address to frame Somaliland as emerging from a period characterized by economic stagnation, security deterioration, and democratic paralysis driven by electoral delays and political fragmentation. His administration’s early interventions, he asserted, have stabilized the republic and established foundations for comprehensive institutional reform.
Among the security achievements highlighted was the implementation of biometric registration across the armed forces to curb payroll fraud—a long-standing challenge that has diverted defense resources from operational needs. The President also noted the introduction of direct salary payments from the treasury to service members, expanded training programs for more than 700 officers—some of whom have received specialized instruction abroad—and technological upgrades to both Immigration services and airport security protocols nationwide.
Economic Development Strategy
The President articulated a three-pronged economic strategy centered on enhancing domestic production, diversifying revenue streams, and investing in critical infrastructure. In concrete terms, he announced that Berbera’s electricity rate will drop to $0.20 per kilowatt-hour by July 2025—positioning it as the most affordable power supply in the country—and highlighted seven road construction projects designed to connect agricultural and livestock-producing regions to urban centers and port facilities.
The President reported that Lughaya port has completed its evaluation phase and is poised for commercial expansion, potentially diversifying Somaliland’s maritime trade capacity beyond Berbera. His administration has overseen the completion of 32 wells, reservoirs, and water catchment systems to address chronic water shortages in rural regions and support agricultural development.
Foreign investment has played a central role in the administration’s economic approach. The President highlighted a $20 million commitment from the Pharo Foundation and $22 million from Germany targeted toward agricultural modernization. Additionally, the World Bank has allocated $30 million for solar energy projects in Berbera and Borama, potentially transforming the energy landscape in these strategic urban centers.
Environmental and Social Programs
Environmental sustainability featured prominently in the address, with the President pledging to plant three million trees during his term—approximately 600,000 annually. He noted that 300,000 seedlings have already been planted during the National Tree Planting Day commemorated on April 15th, suggesting an institutional approach to environmental conservation in a region increasingly vulnerable to climate change impacts.
On social development, the President cited the rehabilitation of 77 health centers with particular emphasis on expanding maternal healthcare access in underserved regions. Educational reform initiatives currently underway aim to promote national identity formation, ethical development, environmental consciousness, and social inclusion. Additional programs include correctional education designed to reduce recidivism, educational scholarships for children of fallen security personnel, and modernization of civil service systems including pension reform.
Foreign Affairs: UAE, United States, and Regional Relations
The President devoted significant attention to Somaliland’s evolving diplomatic position, highlighting strengthened ties with the United Arab Emirates as a cornerstone of his foreign policy. In January 2025, he conducted a formal state visit to the UAE, holding substantive closed-door talks with Vice President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum. He returned to Dubai in February to participate in the World Government Summit, which hosted delegations from over 140 countries.
These high-level engagements, according to the President, have advanced Somaliland’s international standing while securing commitments for development assistance and investment in health infrastructure, educational institutions, water resources, and transportation networks.
The President specifically highlighted strengthened relations with the United States, noting ongoing efforts to encourage American interest in Somaliland. He also mentioned security assistance and various collaborative initiatives received from the United Kingdom, demonstrating Somaliland’s broadening international partnerships beyond regional actors.
Notably absent from the President’s remarks was any reference to the now-defunct Memorandum of Understanding signed with Ethiopia on January 1, 2024, which had granted Ethiopia access to the Port of Berbera and envisioned formal diplomatic recognition. Ethiopia has since pivoted toward engagement with Somalia through Turkish-brokered talks, prioritizing its role as a troop-contributing country to Somalia’s peacekeeping missions to maintain regional influence against growing Egyptian ambitions. This diplomatic realignment culminated in the Ankara Declaration of December 2024—an agreement emphasizing respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity—which effectively leaves Ethiopia without the coveted access to the Red Sea through Somaliland that the original MoU had promised.
The fallout from the Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU triggered a pronounced deterioration in relations with Djibouti, which closed Somaliland’s diplomatic mission under the pretext of unpaid utility bills—a move widely interpreted as politically motivated. Somaliland subsequently accused Djibouti of providing tacit support to separatist elements in the Awdal region.
Despite these challenges, the President emphasized that “the Government of Somaliland will strengthen the historical relationship based on good neighborliness, brotherhood, and cooperation that we have with Ethiopia and Djibouti.” He specifically announced that his administration “is planning trips that we will make to those countries,” signaling a diplomatic initiative to improve regional relationships.
Somalia Relations and Sovereignty
In his remarks, President Cirro reaffirmed Somaliland’s position on Somalia’s repeated provocations, most notably Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s unsanctioned visit to Las Anod on April 16, 2025. The visit, which included meetings with SSC-Khatumo leaders and the transfer of prisoners from Las Anod to Mogadishu for a staged display before Somalia’s media, was condemned by Somaliland as a flagrant violation of Somaliland’s sovereignty.
The President confirmed the cancellation of bilateral talks with Somalia following Barre’s visit, calling it a destabilizing move designed to undermine hard-won peace in the Sool region. The government maintained that no negotiation had occurred regarding the prisoner releases, accusing Somalia of using the incident for political theater.
Democratic Values and Parliamentary Oversight
The President concluded his address by reaffirming his administration’s commitment to democratic governance, institutional integrity, and constitutional order. He emphasized the centrality of rule of law and national unity to Somaliland’s development trajectory and acknowledged Parliament’s essential oversight function in ensuring accountable governance.
While government-aligned lawmakers responded to the address with expressions of support, opposition representatives raised substantive concerns regarding the lack of specificity on legislative timelines, budgetary transparency, and the constitutional procedures required for implementing the sweeping initiatives announced in the speech. They particularly emphasized the constitutional requirement for parliamentary approval of major security and financial commitments, including the establishment of the National Reserve Forces.
As Somaliland navigates this critical period of institutional development, the relationship between executive vision and legislative oversight will likely define the practical implementation of the ambitious agenda outlined in the President’s landmark address.
