Somali Observatory for Humanitarian Affairs It is a specialized, independent, non-profit media network that observes and follows up the Somali humanitarian scene
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GAROWE — In a development highlighting ongoing tensions between the federal government and regional states, Puntland’s Minister of Relief and Disaster Management, Ubax Abdirashid Mohamed Hirsi, has issued strong criticism against the federal government’s Somali Disaster Management Agency (SoDMA). She accused the agency of providing expired and unnecessary aid to conflict-affected populations.
The minister’s remarks, as reported by Hiiraan Online, came in response to prior accusations from SoDMA’s director, Mahamud Moallin. Moallin had claimed that Puntland’s President, Said Abdullahi Deni, had rejected aid intended for the Calmiskaad regions, attributing the refusal to political disputes.
Elaborating on her statements, Minister Hirsi, according to a report by Hiiraan Online, stated that Puntland does not need “face masks and expired medicine,” citing an alleged incident in the town of Moqokori in the Hiran region. She claimed that the aid provided by SoDMA was unsuitable for civilians who were in urgent need of blood-clotting medicine due to the conflict.
The minister emphasized that Puntland’s refusal was based on the aid’s unsuitability for the population’s needs, not on political disagreements.
This dispute underscores the significant challenges facing humanitarian relief efforts in Somalia, where political tensions between different government levels can impact the delivery of essential aid to the most vulnerable populations, as noted by reports from Hiiraan Online.
