Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, President of the Federal Republic of Somalia, and Hamza Abdi Barre arrived in Las Anod, the capital of the Sool region, on Thursday, marking a highly symbolic and historic visit to the city.

The President and Prime Minister landed at Las Anod Airport minutes apart, where they were formally received by senior federal and regional officials, traditional elders, representatives of civil society, former national leaders, and the commanders of the Somali Police Force and the National Intelligence and Security Agency.

The visit coincides with a period of heightened political engagement in Las Anod, as the city prepares to host the official inauguration of the Northeastern Administration and a series of inclusive consultations between the national leadership and local communities. Sources close to the presidential delegation confirmed that the discussions will focus on governance, reconciliation, stability, and the consolidation of national unity.

Among the senior officials present in Las Anod is Ahmed Abdi Karie Qoor-Qoor, President of Galmudug State, who arrived earlier in the day to participate in the inauguration ceremonies.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre are expected to spend the night in Las Anod, a city located approximately 538 kilometres from Hargeisa. Their joint presence is widely viewed as a powerful signal of Somalia’s ongoing recovery and a reaffirmation of the federal government’s commitment to unity, sovereignty, and inclusive state-building.

The visit is particularly significant as it represents the highest-level presidential visit to Las Anod since the collapse of the Somali state in 1991. The President is accompanied by a high-level federal delegation, which will hold extensive meetings with the leadership and residents of the Northeastern Administration.

The Northeastern Administration occupies a strategically vital position within Somalia, with Las Anod serving as a key political and security centre in the Sool region.

A central element of the President’s visit is the inauguration of Abdiqadir Ahmed Aw Firdhiye, who was elected President of the Northeastern Administration in August 2025.

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre previously visited Las Anod in April 2025, at a time when the city was emerging from the aftermath of the 2023 conflict between Somaliland forces and local SSC Khaatumo communities.