Somaliland Foreign Minister Bakaal under the Shadow of US DOJ’s Investigation

By any measure, President Abdirahaman Mohamed Abdillahi “Cirro” has appointed the weakest cabinet in Somaliland’s history. Instead of selecting ministers based on qualifications, merit, or vision, most were chosen for clan identity (DEI – Diversity, Equality, & Inclusion) or campaign contributions. No appointment has been more damaging to Somaliland’s national security and foreign policy than the naming of Mr. Abdirahman Adam Bakaal as Foreign Minister.

Bakaal has no foreign policy background, no government experience, and only a high school education which impairs his effective communication with other diplomats.

His sole qualification for office appears to be the $120,000 campaign contribution his wife, Muna Firdhin, made to Irro’s 2024 presidential bid. That payment secured him the position of Foreign Minister—one of the most vital posts for a country still fighting for international recognition.

This was a reckless political bargain, and Somaliland is now paying the price.

Bakaal cannot represent Somaliland credibly while under the shadow of an active U.S. Department of Justice investigation.In Minneapolis, Minnesota, his wife, Muna Firdhin, 44, has already been charged in the “Feeding Our Future” fraud scheme. Prosecutors say she stole more than $1 million from a federal child nutrition program, using the funds to purchase a house, luxury items and to bankroll Irro’s campaign. An indictment of Bakaal himself remains a possibility.

The mere fact that Somaliland’s Foreign Minister is entangled in such a scandal undermines our international credibility. No serious government can defend appointing a chief diplomat who may face criminal prosecution abroad

Somaliland’s diplomacy has been in disarray since Bakaal assumed office. Instead of strengthening ties with our most important ally and trading partner, Ethiopia, Cirro administration has pursued repeated visits to Qatar—a state openly hostile to Somaliland’s independence. Such moves raise legitimate fears that backroom deals are being struck that compromise our sovereignty.

More troubling, Abdirahman Beyle, a known Siad Barre apologist and former Somalia Finance Minister, and Jama Mohamoud Abdillahi Egal – widely known as (@Jgabush) Gabush and is Cirro cousin, are shaping Somaliland’s foreign policy. This is a betrayal of the very idea of Somaliland’s independence, fought for with sacrifice and defended for more than three decades.

President Cirro must come clean: does he truly believe in Somaliland’s independence, or is his government quietly preparing to unite with the failed state of Somalia under pressure from foreign sponsors?

While the government flounders, Somaliland diaspora remains one of our strongest assets. But too much energy is wasted on social media arguments with Somaliland detractors. Instead, the diaspora should engage where it matters most: local politics and advocacy.

Recently, Congressman Scott Perry (R-PA) has introduced legislation in the U.S. Congress to recognize Somaliland. Every Somaliland supporter should lobby their representatives to co-sponsor this bill. Write to your congressman. Write to local newspapers and universities. Tell Somaliland story and expose the failure of U.S. policy, which rewards chaos and corruption in Mogadishu while ignoring peace and democracy in Hargeisa.

I still remember the 1980s, when the Somali National Movement (SNM) was fighting against Somalia’s Marxist dictator, Siad Barre. Despite Barre enjoying the support of the United States, Italy, Arab countries, a large embassy in Washington, D.C., and a powerful lobby led by Paul Manafort—later Trump’s campaign manager—a handful of determined patriots operated from a small office in Falls Church, Virginia. From there, they waged a relentless media campaign, exposing the atrocities of Barre’s regime to the world.

Their efforts eventually contributed to the U.S. cutting off aid, the regime’s financial lifeline. That office was led by the resolute and determined leadership of Dr. Ibrahim Meygag Samatar. We can replicate those efforts today, but only if we unite and rise above the divisive clan politics that continue to hold us back.

Our representative in Washington, Bashir Goth, must also do more. He has failed to engage with the diaspora, leaving untapped powerful resource that could amplify Somaliland’s case in the United States. This must change immediately!

Somaliland has no shortage of qualified, respected figures who could represent our cause on the world stage—individuals like Professor Ahmed Ismail Samatar of Macalester College and others with decades of academic and diplomatic experience. Instead, we are saddled with a Foreign Minister whose main credential is a campaign payoff and whose loyalty to Somaliland is in question.

As Harry Truman famously said: “The buck stops here.” President Cirro cannot pass the blame. The appointment of Bakaal was his decision, and the damage done to Somaliland’s diplomacy is his responsibility. The people of Somaliland deserve better than an “anti-Somaliland” figure at the helm of our foreign policy at this critical juncture.

If Cirro truly cares about Somaliland’s independence, stability, and international reputation, he must act decisively and remove Bakaal from office.

For the sake of Somaliland’s sovereignty and dignity, Bakaal must go.

Author:  Ali-Guban Mohamed