Mogadishu, Somalia – The Federal Government of Somalia has strongly opposed Puntland’s plan to establish its own separate national identity system, emphasizing that Somalia’s national identification system is inclusive and should be implemented across the entire country.

A statement issued today by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Federalism, and Reconciliation condemned Puntland’s President’s move to create a new national identification system, asserting that it undermines the country’s unified governance structure.

“The step taken by the President of Puntland to establish another form of identification that undermines the National Identification System (Lr. 04, 09/04/2025) is a legal and administrative mistake, and it directly violates the country’s governance structure,” the statement read.

The Ministry further stated that such actions could lead to confusion and weaken the unity of the country, stressing that national identity is a matter of national importance and should not be fragmented by individual regions.

“National identity is a citizen’s right, and no one should be prevented from accessing or disrupting this right,” the statement continued. “Any action that hinders this right will be considered a violation of a citizen’s legal rights.”

The Ministry also urged Puntland to join the national efforts in implementing the existing national identity system and to take advantage of the established systems for public services, rather than creating separate systems that could disrupt government unity.

This firm rejection follows after Puntland’s President, Said Abdullahi Deni, signed a Presidential Decree on April 9, 2025, establishing the Puntland Public Identity Agency (PID). The aim of the PID is to create a distinct identity card for the Puntland region.