By Abdiladif Ahmed
Puntland’s 28th anniversary should be more than ceremony. It is an occasion to reckon with the history that produced it, the sacrifices behind its institutions, and the challenges that still test them.
Puntland’s story cannot be told through 28 years alone. Decades of struggle of its residents preceded its foundation It was shaped by resistance to tyranny and collapse of Somalia’s central state, the civil war that followed, and the human devastation — displacement, lost lives, destroyed livelihoods, dismantled institutions — that drove communities across the country, including Puntland, to seek order through self-governance. What exists today was built through loss, compromise, and the sustained effort of generations. It is a historical inheritance, not the property of any administration, faction, or leader.
Twenty-Eight Years of Challenges
Since 1998, Puntland has faced internal political disputes, armed confrontation, boundary disputes, piracy and maritime crime, terrorism, clan tension, and recurring conflict with Somalia’s federal government over the shape of federalism itself.
Its coastline has made it a target for smuggling and organized crime, while extremist groups — most notably the Islamic State-linked militants entrenched in the Golis Mountains — have exploited insecurity and geographic isolation, prompting sustained counter-insurgency operations.
Sool remains the sharpest test. The question of SSC-Khaatumo cannot be set aside within Puntland’s history, as these territories still constitutionally form part of Puntland State. That question hangs unresolved and must be addressed — a matter further complicated by Somaliland and the Federal Government’s own competing claims in the region. Puntland State’s disputes with the Mogadishu Regime have been similarly strained by disagreements over constitutional violations, elections, and resource-sharing — culminating in Puntland’s March 2024 decision to withdraw recognition of the Federal Government after parliament passed constitutional amendments Puntland considers illegitimate. Puntland has since operated with what it calls “the powers of an independent state based on both Federal and State constitutions,” pending an inclusive constitutional process of the federal arrangements.
That Puntland has preserved institutional continuity through all of this is itself the measure of its resilience.
The Risk of Fragmentation
Political disagreement is normal; it becomes dangerous when turned into institutional confrontation, or when clan identity is used as a political weapon rather than treated as one thread of Somali social life. Clan should never substitute for constitutional authority or shield anyone from accountability.
Puntland’s future cannot rest on manipulating clan divisions or personal rivalries. It requires constitutional institutions, the rule of law, and public accountability to sit above narrow political calculation — with lawful, institutional means, not informal pressure, as the response when that line is crossed.
The Responsibility Ahead
Entering its 29th year, Puntland’s task is neither complacency nor nostalgia, but renewed commitment to:
Institutional integrity and constitutional governance,
The rule of law and equal accountability,
Political dialogue over confrontation
National unity and social cohesion,
Professional, disciplined security institutions,
Defense of Puntland’s territorial and political interests through lawful means,
Counter-terrorism and prevention of violent extremism,
Sustainable economic and social development, and
Accountable political leadership.
None of this is secured by dismantling institutions, deepening division, or concentrating power without checks. It is secured by strengthening institutions and keeping political authority subject to law.
Conclusion
Puntland’s 28th anniversary is not only a marker of distance traveled — it is a reminder of what was spent to travel it. The responsibility of this generation is not just to celebrate what was built, but to protect, reform, and strengthen it, so that the sacrifices behind it were not made in vain.