By Shire Abdi - Reporter
Somalia, 3 July 2026 – Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud said on Thursday that communication and institutional cooperation with Puntland had stopped amid deepening tensions.
Speaking at an event in Mogadishu, Mohamud said communication and institutional coordination between the federal government and Puntland were no longer functioning.
“As things stand today, there is nothing between Puntland and the federal government,” the president said. “Everything has been cut off and suspended.”
He said communication had broken down at multiple levels, including between ministries, which he said were no longer working together despite ongoing cooperation among federal institutions and other regional administrations.
The president also rejected recent accusations that Mogadishu was sending people to Puntland to stir unrest or create political instability.
He described such claims as false, saying federal personnel stationed in Puntland had been working there for months without involvement in any activities aimed at destabilising the region.
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Mohamud said individuals linked to federal institutions in Puntland were registered employees receiving salaries through official government systems and had not engaged in actions intended to create conflict.
He defended Mogadishu against accusations of interference, saying the capital remains focused on serving national interests and protecting the welfare of all Somalis.
“Mogadishu works for the good of the Somali people and the protection of national interests,” he said.
Relations between the federal government and Puntland have remained strained over disputes related to governance, constitutional reforms, elections and power-sharing.
Political tensions between the two sides have intensified in recent months, raising concerns over the broader implications for Somalia’s federal system and national political stability.