Puntland government severs ties with federal government of Somalia over new constitutionIn an extraordinary meeting held today in Garowe, the capital of Puntland, the regional government has announced it is severing relations with Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu.
This drastic move comes after the federal government councils voted to repeal the provisional constitution approved in 2012 and replace it with a new constitution.
The Puntland leadership has repeatedly warned that such an action undermining the federal system would harm national unity and stability. They cite several legal provisions allowing Puntland to reconsider its integration with the central government under such circumstances.
As a result, "Puntland will have its own overall governing authority until a federal system of government with a mutually acceptable Somali constitution subject to a public referendum is established," the statement said.