(24 Apr 2025) GAROWE (Halqabsi News) – The Puntland government has strongly objected to recent discussions between the Federal Government’s Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA) and the National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA), accusing both agencies of attempting to centralise IDP registration in violation of Somalia’s federal constitution.
In a press statement issued by the Puntland Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, the administration expressed “serious concern” over the proposal to unify the registration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and link humanitarian aid to a federal-level registration system.
“These proposals directly contravene the constitutional powers of Federal Member States (FMS), who are clearly mandated to manage and register people residing within their territories,” the statement read. “Any attempt to undermine these powers weakens the federal governance structure outlined in Somalia’s Provisional Constitution.”
Puntland further accused the Federal Government of politicising humanitarian aid and international assistance. The statement warned against using humanitarian coordination as a tool for political centralisation, calling such moves “unacceptable and unconstitutional.”
The announcement comes amid broader tensions between the Federal Government and regional states over resource control, humanitarian coordination, and political autonomy.
Halqabsi News
