The Three Defining Challenges of President Cirro’s Second Year

The President of the Republic of Somaliland, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Cirro, who secured the highest number of votes ever recorded in the country’s history in 2024 and gained renewed public confidence following the December recognition breakthrough, now faces three pressing challenges requiring urgent action: severe drought, the completion and restructuring of his government, and grievances over power sharing in Awdal and Sanaag.

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The President of the Republic of Somaliland, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Cirro, was elected in 2024 with the highest number of votes ever awarded to a presidential candidate in the country’s history. He once again secured strong public confidence following the recognition achievement he delivered in December of last year.

However, three areas marked by significant shortcomings now require immediate presidential attention. These are as follows:

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1. Drought

Somaliland is currently facing severe drought conditions. The Gu and Deyr rainy seasons brought minimal rainfall to many areas, while in some regions no rain fell at all. Acute water shortages have spread across the country, particularly in the eastern regions and along the western coastal areas. With the holy month of Ramadan approaching, many citizens are struggling to access even basic drinking water. The government’s response to the drought thus far has been limited and has not reached the scale required to address the gravity of the crisis.

President Cirro must now intensify efforts to confront the drought directly and ensure that emergency relief reaches pastoral communities who are enduring extremely harsh conditions.

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2. Completing His Government and Reviewing Appointments.

Now entering his second year in office, there remain areas within President Cirro’s administration that have yet to be fully addressed or completed. Many citizens have also expressed dissatisfaction with the initial composition of his cabinet, calling for a review of appointments to ensure that executive positions are filled by individuals capable of delivering on the aspirations of the Somaliland public.

A significant portion of the population believes that President Cirro does not yet have a sufficiently strong and coordinated team capable of managing the complex challenges currently facing the country.

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3. Power Sharing and the Awdal Issue

The people of Awdal, regarded as one of the foundational pillars of Somaliland and an integral component of the state’s structure, have repeatedly called for a reassessment of representation within government. They argue that they are not adequately represented at the highest levels of the three branches of government: the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary.

President Cirro is now confronted with the responsibility of closely examining the Awdal issue, particularly questions surrounding equitable power sharing within his administration. He must also work toward delivering a lasting solution to the tensions in Awdal and create a platform for dialogue among communities with unresolved grievances.

Awdal is not the only region raising concerns over representation. Communities in Sanaag, particularly those who recently concluded a peace agreement in Ceerigaabo, have also voiced dissatisfaction regarding their share within the government.