Prime Minister Barre denies sanctions on Puntland regional state amid escalating political dispute

Prime Minister Barre denies sanctions on Puntland regional state amid escalating political dispute.

Mogadishu Baidao Star— Somali Prime Minister Hamse Abdi Barre has refuted claims that the federal government has imposed sanctions on the Puntland administration despite a prolonged two-year political dispute between the two sides.

Prime Minister Barre accused Puntland leaders of blocking federal projects in the region and refusing to allow the federal government to monitor the implementation of development initiatives.

He criticized the Puntland administration for hindering cooperation between regional and federal institutions, which he said is crucial for ensuring the effective delivery of international projects to the people.

“The Puntland government is misleading its people and creating confusion
to divert them from the real issues,” Barre said. He stressed the
importance of allowing the people of Puntland access to the development
projects they are entitled to, emphasizing that federal oversight is necessary
for accountability and transparency.

Last week, Deputy Minister of Finance Abdiqafar Elmi Hange confirmed that the federal government
disbursed $6 million to Puntland. However, Puntland’s State Minister of
Information, Mohamud Eidid Dirir, stated that the funds came from the World
Bank following a request for budget support and were unrelated to federal
government funds.

Tensions between Puntland and the Federal Government have escalated since
Deni’s unsuccessful bid for the Somali Prime Minister ship, contributing to the
current impasse.