By Awdal Movement 

We are writing to formally rebut the article by Hussein Mohamed Yusuf, “Stability Before Symbols: Why Awdal’s Best Option is to Remain within Somaliland” published on WardheerNews, January 22, 2026. While the author frames his argument as one of “pragmatism,” he overlooks the fundamental legal, historical, and economic realities that make the “Awdal State” movement not just a sentiment, but a necessity for justice and development.

Reclaiming the Narrative: Why Awdal’s Future is Federal:

The arguments presented by Hussein in “Stability Before Symbols” rely on a fundamental misreading of Somali history and a selective interpretation of “stability.” While the author frames remaining within Somaliland as a “sober choice,” he ignores the legal reality of the Somali state and the inherent rights of the people of Awdal to seek the same federal status granted to every other region in the South.

1. The “Somaliland” Name is a Colonial Relic

The term “Somaliland” is not a permanent sovereign designation; it is a colonial-era name used by the British Protectorate. That entity ceased to exist on June 26, 1960, when it gained independence to immediately merge with the South to form the Somali Republic.

Legally and historically, Somalia consists of 18 regions as defined by the pre-1991 administration. Since Somalia has officially adopted a Federal System, the law must apply equally to all 18 regions. If the federal model allows for the creation of regional states in the South (such as Jubbaland, Galmudug, or Hirshabelle), it is an injustice to deny the same right to Awdal. Why should Awdal be treated as a secondary province of a secessionist entity when it has every right to be a primary pillar of the Federal Republic?

2. Awdal: An Economic Powerhouse in Waiting
The author suggests that Awdal cannot stand alone and that Mogadishu lacks the capacity to support it. This ignores the immense natural wealth and strategic geography of the Awdal region. Awdal is uniquely positioned as the only northern region capable of total economic self-sufficiency due to:

• Natural Resources: Vast untapped reserves of oil, gas, and precious minerals.
•  Strategic Borders: Awdal shares land borders with two different countries, facilitating international trade and transit.
• Agricultural & Maritime Wealth: Fertile lands for farming and a rich coastline for fishing and port development (notably the Lughaya corridor).

3. Equality in Federalism: The Case for Awdal State

The article mentions the struggles of the Northeastern State as a warning. However, the struggles of a new administration are part of the state-building process, not a reason to submit to an unrecognized secessionist government in Hargeisa. The author ignores the fact that liberty opens doors of possibilities, hopes and it lifts the aspirations of the people who fought heavenly to achieve liberty. That is who Northeastern State is today.  They are not looking back.

4. Stability is not Subservience

The author argues that Awdal should “negotiate hard” within the Somaliland framework. This is a failed strategy that has led to decades of underdevelopment and political exclusion. Real stability does not come from staying within a system that views you as a peripheral territory; it comes from having your own seat at the national table.

The “Somaliland” project is a pursuit of a 1960s ghost. The future is a United Federal Somalia where Awdal governs its own affairs, collects its own revenues, and protects its own borders as a recognized Federal Member State.

The time for symbolic “negotiations” in Hargeisa has passed. The era of the Federal Member State has arrived.

Authored by: Awdal State Movement
awdalstatemovement.com