Hargeisa, January 25, 2025 — The President of Somaliland, Cabdiraxmaan Maxamed Cabdilaahi (Cirro), has officially announced a 50% salary increase for the Somaliland armed forces, fulfilling one of his campaign promises.

A decree issued from President Cirro’s office declared that the salary increase applies to all branches of the military and will take effect next month, February. “This is the realization of one of the promises I made to our people during the election campaign, and I am pleased to implement it today,” stated President Cirro.

Additionally, the President mentioned that the registration and census of the forces will be conducted using the ‘IRIS Biometric Registration’ system within thirty days, starting from February 1, 2025. “All national forces must undergo this biometric registration to ensure transparency and accuracy of data,” he added.

President Cirro also highlighted that, beyond the salary increase, he plans to enhance the quality of the armed forces by providing additional training and modern equipment. This decree underscores the Somaliland government’s commitment to improving and valorizing its military forces, in line with the promises made during the electoral campaign.