Deni Draws a Line: Puntland Steps Away as Somalia’s Political Deadlock Deepens

Garowe (WDN) — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has announced that Puntland has cancelled all agreements previously reached with Somalia’s Federal Government and will independently manage its affairs, until Somali political leaders reach a settlement acceptable to all sides.

Deni said Puntland would no longer operate under political arrangements it considers invalid or superseded, while remaining part of the broader Somali political process.

“Every agreement between us and the Federal Government has been cancelled. We will operate independently until Somalis reach an agreement. The Puntland people in Mogadishu are simply employees who came for work,” Deni said.

The announcement follows nearly a year of increasingly unproductive negotiations involving the Federal Government, opposition groups and several federal member states. Despite repeated meetings and mediation efforts, the political leadership has failed to reach a durable agreement on elections, constitutional changes and the rules governing the country’s next political transition.