Global Voices

Since fighting began in late February, Iranian retaliation has reached U.S. bases and Gulf infrastructure while disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has repeatedly threatened energy exports and maritime trade. Roughly a fifth of global oil flows normally passes through...

Dear President Abdirahman Abdullahi, As you prepare for your next cabinet reshuffle, you have an opportunity to make a decision that could define your government’s effectiveness: put the right people in the right positions. Cabinet appointments should not be driven primarily by political loyalty, the balancing of interests, or rewards for those who supported the government. These considerations may always exist in politics, but they should not outweigh the qualifications of those chosen to lead the country’s ministries. Your government is moving beyond its early period. Citizens will increasingly judge the administration by what it delivers. Can ministries function more effectively? Can public services improve? Can public resources be managed responsibly? Can Somaliland attract investment and create opportunities for its young population? These outcomes require capable people. A president may have a strong vision and ambitious plans, but that vision means little if the people responsible for implementation lack the capacity to deliver. The government’s goals must be matched by the abilities of those appointed to lead its ministries. When there is a gap between ambition and administrative capacity, the result is a misaligned government. As a member of the diaspora living in Somaliland, I have observed good intentions at the top but uneven execution below. That is why the next reshuffle matters. Somaliland needs ministers who understand the responsibilities they are being asked to assume. A person appointed to lead a ministry should bring a relevant combination of education, professional experience, management ability, and a record of achievement. A ministry is not a political trophy. It is a public institution whose performance affects citizens’ daily lives. Political experience alone should not automatically qualify someone to lead a technical ministry. Nor should a close relationship with the president, membership in the governing political camp, or strong personal connections be enough. This does not mean politics has no place in government. It does. Presidents have political responsibilities, and governments need people they can trust. But trust and competence should not be treated as competing choices. The president should seek people who are both trustworthy and capable. The Somaliland diaspora also deserves careful consideration. Somaliland has produced many highly educated professionals with valuable experience in Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere. Bringing that experience home can benefit the country enormously. But diaspora status should not confer automatic preference. No one should become a minister simply because they worked abroad or have an impressive resume. The same standard should apply to everyone. What have they accomplished? What do they know about the ministry they would lead? Have they managed people and budgets? Have they solved difficult problems? Can they work within Somaliland’s realities rather than simply import ideas from another country? These are the questions that should guide appointments. One practical step would be to interview serious candidates before making senior appointments. This should not be a political interview, but a rigorous assessment of each candidate’s ability to do the job. Ask candidates what they have accomplished, what they understand about the ministry, what they would change in their first six months, and how they would measure success. Then verify their qualifications and professional history. This would not eliminate political appointments, but it would introduce a basic element of accountability into the process. There is nothing radical about this approach. Governments around the world increasingly recognize that professional civil service is essential to effective government. Research by the Anti-Corruption Evidence programme has also identified links between merit-based recruitment, stronger motivation, lower corruption, and better public-service performance. For Somaliland, this should not be merely an academic discussion. We have limited resources and a long list of national priorities. Every ministry that fails to perform represents a lost opportunity. Your administration has already achieved what many people once considered extremely difficult by securing international recognition from Israel while continuing to build broader support for Somaliland. That is an important development. But recognition, diplomacy, and foreign relations are only part of the larger challenge of building a functioning state. Somaliland also needs institutions that work. It needs ministries that can implement policy, officials who understand public finance, and competent leaders for infrastructure, education, health, investment, fisheries, agriculture, mining, security, and other critical sectors. Most importantly, citizens need to see that government appointments are made because a person can do the job, not simply because they are politically connected. Mr. President, the next cabinet reshuffle gives you an opportunity to establish a different standard. Choose people who can deliver. Choose people who understand their responsibilities. Choose people whose results can be measured and who can be held accountable when they fail. If a politically loyal person is also the best person for the job, appoint them. If a political ally is not qualified to lead a particular ministry, do not appoint them simply because they are an ally. That is what merit should mean. Somaliland cannot afford to place unprepared people in important positions and wait years to discover that they were never capable of carrying the responsibility. The country needs experienced professionals, capable managers, effective politicians, and people with a genuine understanding of Somaliland’s circumstances. The next cabinet should therefore not be about who deserves a position. It should be about who can do the job. That would send a powerful message to Somaliland’s citizens, investors, development partners, and the international community that Somaliland is serious about building institutions based on competence, accountability, and performance. Somaliland needs a government that serves the country, not individuals or political interests. And that starts with putting the right people in the right positions. Thank you, and God bless Somaliland. Mohamed Ibrahim is a Somaliland businessman and public-affairs commentator based in Hargeisa. He holds an MBA and has a professional background in business, journalism, media, and public affairs. He is the founder and former Chief Editor of SomalilandPress , an independent online news and analysis platform covering political, economic, and social developments in Somaliland and the wider Horn of Africa. He can be reached at moguled@gmail.com. Reference: Governance and Integrity Anti-Corruption Evidence (GI ACE), Civil Service Reform and Anti-Corruption in Developing Countries: Tools and Evidence from Eight Countries in Four Developing Regions. GI ACE. Civil Service Reform and Anti-Corruption in Developing Countries....

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