By Asha Elmi - Reporter
SOMALIA, Aug. 16, 2026 — Somalia’s Puntland State has begun preparations to transfer government powers and basic services to district authorities as part of a decentralisation initiative aimed at strengthening local government and improving service delivery.
Puntland’s Minister of Interior, Federal Affairs and Democratization, Abdi Hirsi Ali, known as Qarjab, opened a meeting on Saturday to discuss plans for transferring government responsibilities and essential services from higher levels of administration to districts.
The initiative is intended to give district authorities greater responsibility for planning, managing and delivering services to their communities.
Discussions focused particularly on strengthening the capacity of districts to provide education, healthcare, water and other essential services.
The Interior Ministry said decentralisation would bring government services closer to residents while improving their quality, efficiency and accessibility.
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The meeting brought together officials from Puntland’s ministries of health, finance, education, energy, water and minerals, as well as representatives of the Puntland presidency.
Officials said the discussions were intended to coordinate the roles of relevant ministries and institutions and establish responsibilities and steps for implementing an effective decentralisation system.
The plan also seeks to increase the capacity of district administrations to participate directly in local development and the delivery of essential services.
Puntland’s Ministry of Interior, Federal Affairs and Democratization is leading the initiative in coordination with other ministries and the presidency.
Officials said the broader goal is to establish a coordinated decentralised system that strengthens local governments and enables districts to deliver basic services to residents more efficiently and sustainably.