As Somalia witnesses the historic inauguration of the first administration of the North-Eastern State, the moment carries profound national, regional, and symbolic significance. This administration emerges from a painful chapter in Somalia’s recent history — one marked by oppression, violence, and massacre, particularly the brutal attack on Las’Anod in 2023, when Somaliland forces shelled civilian neighborhoods, displaced tens of thousands, and attempted to impose authority through force rather than consent. 

Today’s ceremony is not merely a political event. It is a declaration: Somalia’s unity cannot be dictated by bullets, nor redrawn by foreign capitals. Somalia’s unity cannot be dictated by bullets, nor redrawn by foreign capitals. 

The presence of the Ambassadors of Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Sudan at the inauguration is especially meaningful. Their attendance sends a clear diplomatic signal that key Muslim-majority nations recognize the legitimacy of Somali federal unity and the right of local communities to self-govern within a sovereign Somalia — not outside it. In an era of growing external interference, this show of solidarity matters. 

Yet even as Somalis take steps toward healing and inclusive governance, foreign actors continue to push a........

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