The Somali Ministry of Interior has strongly opposed the move by Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni to approve the creation of a regional state-level identity for the people of Puntland, which the ministry described as illegal.
In a press release issued by the ministry on the matter, it described the move by Puntland as unfounded and unconstitutional, and declared that it contradicts the country’s development plans.
“The step taken by the President of Puntland to create another identity that disrupts the National Identity (No. 04, 09/04/2025), is a responsible and legal error, and it is a direct violation of the country’s governance system, and it is a chaos and disorder of the government, this kind of action has no basis and effect in the concepts of governance and national responsibility. It does not reflect nationalism and national concern,” the statement from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Somalia said.
The Ministry said it urges the leaders of Puntland to participate nationally in the implementation of the National Identity, and benefit the local community from the national system that has already been established.
The Somali government has already adopted the National Identity Policy, and both Houses of Parliament have also adopted the National Identity Law, Law No. 9, March 2023, and the Law on the Protection of Citizens’ Data, Law No. 5, March 2023,The National Registration and Identification Authority (NIRA) was established. Modern equipment was also purchased for the country to print, store, and protect the data of Somali citizens.
