DHUSAMAREEB, Somalia — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and a delegation accompanying him arrived in Dhusamareeb, the capital of Galmudug state, as part of a visit focused on security, development and engagement with local communities.
The president was warmly received by Galmudug officials and residents following his arrival in the central Somali city.
During his visit, Hassan Sheikh said that when he first assumed office, Somalia’s southern and central regions did not have the federal member states that exist today.
“From Galkayo to Kismayo, there were no federal member states when I came to power. I helped establish Jubaland, Southwest, Galmudug and Hirshabelle,” he said, referring to the administrations that now form part of Somalia’s federal system.
The president’s remarks highlighted his role in Somalia’s federalization process, although the formation of the federal states has involved multiple political actors and has at times been accompanied by disputes between Mogadishu and regional authorities.
Hassan Sheikh’s visit to Galmudug comes as the federal government seeks to strengthen Somalia’s armed forces and gradually transfer greater responsibility for national security to Somali troops.
During his stay, the president is expected to attend a ceremony marking the completion of military training for units of the Somali National Army.
The training is part of wider government efforts to expand and improve the capabilities of Somalia’s security forces as the country works toward reducing its reliance on foreign troops.
Somalia continues to face a security threat from Al-Shabab, an Al-Qaeda-linked militant group that has waged an insurgency against the federal government for more than a decade.
The government, supported by international partners, has intensified military operations against the group in central and southern Somalia. Galmudug has been a key area in those operations because of its strategic location and the militant group’s presence in parts of the region.
Hassan Sheikh is also expected to inaugurate several development projects during his visit to Galmudug. The projects are aimed at improving public services and strengthening social and economic infrastructure in the state.
The president will further hold meetings with different sections of the Galmudug community to hear their views and concerns on development, security, state-building and Somalia’s political future, according to the presidency.
His visit comes amid broader efforts by the federal government to strengthen ties with Somalia’s federal member states while advancing national security and state-building priorities.
Galmudug, established as a federal member state in 2015, occupies a strategically important part of central Somalia and borders Puntland to the northeast and Hirshabelle to the south.
The state includes Dhusamareeb, its administrative capital, as well as other important towns in central Somalia.
The federal government has sought to consolidate state institutions and security structures across the country as Somalia prepares for a transition in which national forces are expected to assume increasing responsibility for protecting the population and confronting armed groups.
Hassan Sheikh’s Galmudug visit is expected to combine political outreach with security and development initiatives as his administration seeks to strengthen federal institutions and improve cooperation between Mogadishu and the states.
