Former deputy speaker of the republic of Kenya and member of parliament of Dadaab constituency Farah Maalim has urged the president of the republic of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, to officially recognize the Awdal region as a federal state and deploy the Somali National Army in the region.

The prominent Kenyan lawmaker’s remarks is set to spark diplomatic firestorm in the horn of Africa; he said the federal republic of Somalia must assert its sovereignty over the northern region territories
“Recognize the Awdal region as a state and deploy the Somali national army forces there,” said Maalim.

The legislature statement I saw as a direct challenge to the administration of Somaliland, who are having a tussle over Awadal territory. The Awdal region is the westernmost province of the Somaliland state, bordering Ethiopia and Djibouti, and has been under the administration of Somaliland since 1991, but it has had continuous dissent from the locals, who are protesting the sovereignty of Somaliland.

The Awdal State Movement has long campaigned for the region to be recognized as a federal state directly under Mogadishu rather than being part of Somaliland; this call has since intensified since Ethiopia signed a deal with Somaliland to lease a naval base in Lughaya, a coastal town in the Awdal region.

The region has been a center of attention following Ethiopia’s quest to have access to a coastline, and a deal was reached for Somaliland to lease a 20-kilometer coastline to Ethiopia for 50 years in exchange for Ethiopia recognizing Somaliland’s sovereignty.

A move that was seen as an act of aggression from the federal government of Somalia that considers Somaliland part of its territory.