By Asha Elmi - Reporter
HARGEISA, Aug. 31, 2026 Somaliland will fill 774 vacant civil service positions through open competition after 1,399 employees retired, the Somaliland Civil Service Commission said on Sunday.
The commission's chairman, Abdiasis Hirsi Warsame, said the 774 positions comprise 399 grade-A posts and 375 grade-B posts, which he said must be filled through competitive examinations under Somaliland's civil service regulations.
"The positions we are announcing today, for which examinations will be held, are grade A and B positions," Warsame said at a ceremony where Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) launched the new recruitment programme.
The remaining 625 vacancies created by retirements comprise 242 grade-C positions and 383 grade-D positions, Warsame said. Those posts will be filled by the institutions where the employees retired, in accordance with civil service laws, policies and procedures.
The 774 positions will be distributed among Somaliland's regions, with Awdal allocated 25%, Maroodijeex 20%, Togdheer 20%, Sanaag 15%, and Sool and Saaxil 10% each.
Warsame said the recruitment system would restrict applicants to vacancies in the region where they live, in a move aimed at ensuring opportunities are available to people across the regions.
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Applications will be submitted through an online system, allowing candidates to apply from their place of residence. Possession of a National ID card is one of the requirements for applicants.
The vacancies are scheduled to be published on the official website and social media platforms of the Somaliland Civil Service Commission on Sept. 5, 2026.
Universities in Somaliland will be involved in parts of the selection and examination process. Warsame said universities would shortlist candidates, prepare examinations and submit the results, while the Civil Service Commission would oversee the process.
President Irro urged Somaliland institutions to uphold regulations governing retirement and the rights of employees who had served for many years.
Warsame described the announcement as the first time Somaliland had declared such a large number of civil service vacancies at once, saying the new system was intended to promote open competition and equal opportunity.