The Federal Government of Somalia has declared the SSC-Khaatumo administration to be an administration similar to other member states of the Federal Government of Somalia.
The Prime Minister of Somalia, Hamse Abdi Barre, speaking at a welcoming forum held in Las Anod on Sunday night, said that SSC-Khaatumo is an official administration of the central government.
The Prime Minister dismissed the claims of Puntland and Somaliland over the area, saying that the territory of SSC-Khaatumo is not disputed.
“I declare loudly that SSC-Khaatumo is a Somali area and administration of the Federal Government of Somalia, and it is not a disputed area,” said Prime Minister Hamse.
The Prime Minister, who has been a close friend of the former President of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo and the former leaders, said that they did not dare to openly recognize SSC-Khaatumo, but he fully dared to recognize it as an official administration.
This move by Prime Minister Hamse marks a major political victory for the SSC-Khaatumo administration, as Hamse said the administration will be part of development plans and will receive its share of the federal government’s finances.
The Prime Minister yesterday laid the foundation stone for development projects in Lascaanod city, including government buildings, police stations and educational facilities.
Although locals have welcomed the central government’s recognition, there are still debates about whether SSC-Khaatumo has met the requirements for regional autonomy. and not, with some arguing that Khaatumo’s recognition could lead to the dissolution of existing administrations.
Somaliland, which lost control of Lascaanod in 2023 but still considers it part of its territory, described the Prime Minister’s visit as a “blatant interference” in its sovereignty.
