Somalia declares regional government ‘no longer valid’

President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed is no longer recognized as the leader of South West State, Mogadishu has declared

Somalia’s federal government has declared that the mandate of South West State’s leadership has expired, amid an escalating political dispute with the regional administration.

In a directive issued on Tuesday, the Interior Ministry said President Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, also known as Laftagareen, “is no longer recognized” as the leader of South West State and that all decisions issued by his administration are “no longer valid.”

The ministry also ordered federal agencies not to cooperate with the regional government and said it “will appoint a committee responsible for facilitating the formation of a new South West State administration, which will conduct elections and ensure proper governance.”

Tensions have been building in recent weeks after South West State rejected constitutional amendments approved at the federal level. Federal officials say the changes are part of broader reforms to Somalia’s governance system, but leaders in South West State have rejected them, arguing they were adopted without adequate consultation and weaken the powers of federal member states.

READ MORE: Somali region cuts ties with federal government

Last week, the South West State’s authorities announced the suspension of cooperation with the federal government and imposed restrictions on flights, citing security concerns.

The state’s leadership accused the central government of interference, including allegations of backing rival forces in the region in an attempt to overthrow Laftagareen.

Mogadishu has denied the allegations.

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The disagreement points to broader frictions over the balance of power in Somalia’s federal system. Somalia adopted a federal structure in 2012 after decades of conflict, allowing regions such as Puntland, Jubaland, and South West State to form their own administrations. However, disputes have persisted over how power should be shared between the central government and member states.

In 2024, the semi-autonomous Puntland administration announced that it would no longer recognize the federal government until disputed constitutional amendments are approved in a nationwide referendum. Months later the same year, Jubaland also suspended ties with Mogadishu over disagreements regarding regional elections.