Somaliland
Elite Tax Evasion in Somaliland: A Fixable Crisis That Hurts Everyone Else

Somaliland could boost revenue by $9M+ a year just by enforcing existing taxes on the wealthy. No new taxes needed—just political will.
Somaliland, like many governments navigating economic strain, faces one of its most pressing fiscal challenges in years: how to raise domestic revenues without deepening inequality or burdening the most vulnerable. A growing body of research—including new findings from the WARYATV Research Team—suggests a clear answer: target under-taxed wealthy individuals through smarter, more focused tax enforcement.
Today, too many of Somaliland’s richest citizens go untaxed, while teachers, small vendors, and salaried workers bear a disproportionate share of the burden. In cities like Hargeisa and Berbera, where property values and private wealth have ballooned in recent years, the income and assets of elite families remain largely out of reach for tax authorities.
This is not a result of weak tax laws—it is a failure of enforcement and prioritization.
An Unfair Burden
The numbers speak for themselves. Before 2023, only one of the top 33 senior government officials in Somaliland paid personal income tax. Meanwhile, just 74% of landlords identified in Hargeisa were registered for tax in 2024, despite booming real estate markets. Contrast this with public employees, whose taxes are automatically withheld. These individuals cannot avoid their obligations—not because they earn more or believe in the system, but because the system is designed to make avoidance impossible for them.
The outcome? The wealthiest Somalilanders pay a lower effective tax rate than average citizens—a situation that undermines both economic justice and the government’s ability to deliver services.
Three Simple Fixes for Big Gains
According to the WARYATV team, the government could raise millions of dollars annually by enforcing existing laws—not by raising tax rates or introducing new ones. The formula is straightforward:
Identify high-net-worth individuals using data already available (property transactions, rental income, government contracts).
Simplify compliance, making it easier for individuals to report income and assets.
Enforce existing obligations with both firmness and fairness.
This isn’t theoretical. Targeted efforts could generate up to $9.3 million in additional revenue annually—or $900,000 from a single region like Awdal. In cities like Berbera or Hargeisa, where land speculation is a common form of wealth storage, property tax reforms alone could triple current collections.
Redirecting the Revenue Service
Part of the problem lies in how revenue officers are deployed. In places like Sanaag and Togdheer, too many resources go into registering tiny informal businesses that yield little revenue. Instead, the focus should shift to identifying wealth holders—those with significant landholdings, high-value transactions, or contracts with the government.
Rather than rely on foreign definitions of wealth, Somaliland must develop local criteria for high-net-worth individuals—tailored to its own economy. This could include benchmarks like earning over $300,000 in annual rental income or conducting land sales totaling more than $600,000 over five years.
Institutional Backing Matters
Creating a dedicated office for wealthy taxpayers is essential—just as the country already has one for large companies like telecoms and banks. But this must come with strong political backing from revenue leadership and government. Well-connected individuals cannot be above the law.
At the same time, a cooperative approach should lead the way. Voluntary disclosure programs—with tax amnesties—can both improve compliance and generate immediate returns. Similarly, requiring tax clearance certificates for public office and government employment can institutionalize transparency and increase accountability.
The Road to Fairer Taxation
If Somaliland is serious about tackling inequality, stabilizing public finances, and building a functioning state, it must start with taxing its own elite fairly. This isn’t just a matter of numbers. It’s a test of political will, administrative reform, and public trust.
Smarter tax collection can deliver immediate results, while laying the groundwork for long-term structural equity. Somaliland’s future stability—and the social contract on which it depends—requires nothing less.
Somaliland
President Irro Launches War on Climate Collapse

President Irro marks National Tree Planting Day with the 3,000th tree planting milestone, pledging climate resilience for Somaliland’s future.
Somaliland President Abdullahi Irfan leads the fight against climate change, planting trees to combat deforestation, drought, and rural collapse.
In a region where war, drought, and displacement dominate the headlines, President Irro is planting a different kind of future—one seedling at a time.
Marking Somaliland National Tree Planting Day on April 15, Irfan stood beneath the scorching sun and declared war—not on enemies or insurgents, but on deforestation, climate chaos, and soil erosion. And this wasn’t just ceremony. As he launched the 3,000th tree planting event under the Wadajir and Waxqabad government, Irro signaled a broader vision: fight climate change or watch Somaliland vanish beneath sand and thirst.
His speech didn’t sugarcoat it. From “rising temperatures” and “repeated droughts” to “the displacement of pastoralists” and rural decay, Irro listed every climate blow crushing Somaliland’s future. His response? Restore life through trees. “The lack of trees,” he warned, “is the lack of life.”
The government’s Three Million Tree Planting Project isn’t symbolic. It’s strategic. Reforesting Somaliland means restoring agricultural soil, slowing desertification, anchoring fleeing rural communities, and securing water supplies in a land gasping for it. It’s also political—fulfilling campaign promises with roots in real soil.
But this isn’t just about trees. It’s about rewriting a national doctrine. In a region addicted to short-term conflict fixes, Irfan’s environmental push is revolutionary. He’s betting that climate security will deliver where politics have failed.
Verdict: In a world watching Somaliland for its geopolitics, President Irro is reminding us that the most important front line may not be in Las Anod or Mogadishu—but in the dry, cracked earth beneath our feet.
Commentary
While Somaliland Sleeps, Puntland Arms Up: UAE Deploys Israeli Radar as Hargeisa Misses the Moment

As the UAE installs advanced Israeli surveillance tech in Bosaso, Somaliland watches from the sidelines—unprepared, uncertain, and strategically sidelined.
UAE quietly deploys Israeli ELM-2084 radar in Puntland, while Somaliland fails to act. Starlink enters Somalia. The Horn of Africa’s new security map is being drawn—and Hargeisa’s not holding the pen.
The Horn’s balance of power is shifting—and Somaliland is missing in action.
In a stunning military maneuver, the United Arab Emirates has discreetly deployed a state-of-the-art Israeli-made ELM-2084 radar system to Bosaso, Puntland—just steps from its air base. The 3D AESA radar, known for tracking drones, missiles, and hostile aircraft with surgical precision, now anchors Puntland’s growing maritime defense grid.
Coordinates don’t lie.
📍 11°16’16.5”N, 49°06’28.3”E — right where Somaliland was supposed to step in.
Sources confirm the UAE and the U.S. had planned this deployment for Berbera six weeks ago. But Hargeisa wasn’t ready. No infrastructure. No green light. No urgency. So the radar—and the opportunity—moved to Puntland.
And that’s not all. Four more radar units are en route.
At the same time, Elon Musk’s Starlink is beaming into Somalia—expanding Mogadishu’s digital reach and strengthening its control of the skies. While Somalia signs deals, coordinates strategy, and expands presence, Somaliland’s diplomatic and security corridors remain stalled, reactive, and exposed.
This isn’t just missed opportunity. It’s national security negligence.
Meanwhile, Somalia is rearming. Turkey is building bases. UAE is choosing Puntland. And Somaliland?
Still waiting. Still hoping. Still unprepared.
As one analyst told WARYATV, “The question is no longer what Israel, UAE, or the U.S. can do for Somaliland. The real question is: When will Somaliland be ready to say yes?”
Editor's Pick
Somalia Declares War with Words: Recognizes SSC-Khaatumo, Sparks Sovereignty Showdown with Somaliland

Barre’s Las Anod visit escalates tensions as Mogadishu officially absorbs SSC-Khaatumo, redrawing the map and triggering a furious response from Hargeisa.
Somalia’s recognition of SSC-Khaatumo as a federal state ignites diplomatic warfare with Somaliland, which calls the move a blatant breach of sovereignty.
What Somalia just did in Las Anod is nothing short of a diplomatic land grab.
In a public ceremony staged in the heart of Somaliland-controlled Las Anod, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre formally recognized SSC-Khaatumo as a federal member administration—a political act that Somaliland’s leadership considers a declaration of war.
“This is not a contested area,” Barre proclaimed, erasing decades of self-governance and territorial control exercised by Hargeisa. But behind the polished rhetoric lies a strategic offensive to reassert Somali federal power in the north—one backed by foreign defense deals, oil ambitions, and electoral manipulation.
SSC-Khaatumo’s leader Firdhiye, once a marginal actor, is now being handed a seat at the high-stakes National Consultative Council (NCC)—Mogadishu’s premier political forum. His inclusion signals Somalia’s intent to institutionalize the partitioning of Somaliland from within.
Barre didn’t come empty-handed. He came with funding promises, construction blueprints, and federal flags—launching new buildings, police HQs, and ID centers. This isn’t development—it’s occupation by bureaucracy.
Somaliland responded with fury, calling the move a blatant violation of sovereignty. And they’re right to sound the alarm. Because if SSC-Khaatumo’s “recognition” is allowed to stand, then the map of Somaliland could be erased by decree—not by war.
But there’s a legal twist. Somalia’s own provisional constitution requires a structured vetting process, which SSC-Khaatumo has not completed. There’s been no parliamentary ratification, no public consultation, no legal framework—just political theatre in a city under dispute.
The timing is no accident. Recognition of Somaliland is gaining steam internationally. This move is Somalia’s desperate attempt to block it—and to insert chaos into Hargeisa’s clearest shot at statehood in 30 years.
Barre’s visit to Las Anod wasn’t just political—it was tactical. Now Somaliland must decide: respond diplomatically—or prepare for a deeper confrontation.
Somaliland
Somaliland Bets on Trump to Break ‘One Somalia’ Policy and Win U.S. Recognition

With China creeping into Somalia, Hargeisa makes its boldest push yet—offering Berbera base access in exchange for diplomatic recognition from Washington.
Somaliland ramps up pressure on Washington to abandon its “One Somalia” stance, offering strategic ports and unwavering support for U.S. allies, while Mogadishu scrambles to block the move.
The battle for recognition just entered the White House—and Somaliland is betting on Trump.
Hargeisa’s leadership is escalating its diplomatic blitz in Washington, capitalizing on growing Republican support and frustration over U.S. failures in Mogadishu. At the center of Somaliland’s pitch: Berbera, the jewel of the Gulf of Aden. A UAE-upgraded port, a Cold War airbase, and a direct launchpad for U.S. power projection into the Red Sea and beyond.
Foreign Minister Abdirahman Yusuf Bakaal didn’t mince words. “The United States is done with the ‘One Somalia’ fantasy,” he declared. “They’ve finally realized Somaliland is a functioning democracy in a sea of chaos.”
And Bakaal is right about one thing—America is listening. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau acknowledged on X that he’s “looking into” the Somaliland file. Meanwhile, Trump-aligned groups, including Project 2025, are calling for an official break from the Somalia-first doctrine, citing Chinese influence, Turkish militarism, and growing maritime threats in the Horn.
While Mogadishu desperately tries to keep pace—offering ports it doesn’t control, like Berbera—Somaliland is throwing down hard facts: Somalia can’t secure Mogadishu, let alone deliver on foreign military basing deals.
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has called Trump’s return to power “the greatest opportunity in our nation’s history.” With Hargeisa refusing ties with China and deepening ties with Taiwan, it’s becoming clear: Somaliland isn’t just asking for recognition—it’s offering strategic alignment in a region on fire.
A Somaliland delegation lands in Washington this May. Irro follows in July. And this time, they’re not knocking on doors—they’re demanding a seat at the table.
Editor's Pick
Somaliland’s Foreign Ministry Faces Fire Over Turkish Ties, Las Anod Silence

Outrage erupts after Somaliland’s MFA entertains Turkish diplomats and fumbles response to Somalia PM’s Las Anod invasion—citizens demand answers, not excuses.
The Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs is under fire after hosting Turkey’s ambassador and failing to deliver a clear response to Somalia’s Las Anod provocation. Public backlash explodes online.
What do you call a government that welcomes its enemy, excuses its occupier, and gaslights its own people? Somalilanders are asking just that.
After Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamse Barre walked unchallenged into Las Anod—deep in Somaliland territory—the Ministry of Foreign Affairs didn’t condemn it as an act of war. Instead, it hosted foreign diplomats for tea and soft words.
And the public? Exploded.
A statement from the ministry’s Director General, claiming to have briefed diplomats on Somaliland’s “position,” triggered a wave of public fury. Comments flooded in within minutes. The message wasn’t defiance—it was defeat dressed in diplomacy.
“Why are you dealing with NGOs instead of international legal experts?”
“This was not a visit—it was a violation of sovereignty!”
“Turkey is Somaliland’s number one enemy—why are you welcoming them in Hargeisa?”
The backlash is louder than ever. Somalilanders are done watching a weak MFA posture in the face of aggression. Many blasted the ministry’s engagement with Turkey, citing Ankara’s recent military agreements with Mogadishu, its support for drone strikes, and its outright refusal to acknowledge Somaliland passports.
It wasn’t just symbolic—the Turkish Ambassador to Somalia was received in Hargeisa. A man whose title literally erases Somaliland’s existence. Citizens are now calling for the closure of the Turkish consulate, the expulsion of Turkish officials, and a complete freeze in trade with Ankara.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s own credibility is in shambles. Earlier promises that the U.S. would stop Hamse’s trip? Never happened. Contradictory messaging and confusion over diplomatic status of ambassadors in Mogadishu? Still unresolved.
A senior Somaliland diplomat, writing on WARYATV, didn’t mince words:
“Turkey isn’t a neutral partner. It’s a declared enemy. Somaliland is being treated with disrespect, and this ministry is asleep.”
The people are angry, and the MFA is on trial—digitally, politically, and diplomatically. If Somaliland wants recognition, it needs more than polished statements. It needs courage, strategy, and unshakable clarity.
Because in the battle for sovereignty, words matter—and silence is betrayal.
Somaliland
Oil, Betrayal & Invasion: Somalia’s Secret Coup in Lasanod Unmasked

WARYATV exposes the real reason behind Somalia’s Prime Minister’s Lasanod trip—$4 billion in oil, foreign armies, and a full-scale coup against Somaliland.
Behind Somalia’s “peace talk” mask lies a resource war in Lasanod—Turkey, China, and Azerbaijan now involved in a geopolitical takeover to steal Somaliland’s oil. WARYATV breaks it down.
Forget diplomacy—this is a resource war in disguise.
Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamse Barre didn’t come to Lasanod for peace. He came to launch the next chapter of a coordinated foreign-backed coup to erase Somaliland from Sool, steal its 4 billion barrels of oil, and hand the spoils to Turkey and China.
WARYATV has obtained key details from sources and official agreements signed in Ankara just hours before Barre’s visit. Turkey’s state oil company, TPAO, has secured a secret exploration deal for seismic surveys in Sool. The Somali minister for petroleum personally oversaw the handover—without even mentioning that Las Anod is Somaliland territory.
The plan is simple:
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Push Somaliland out of Sool.
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Install proxy militia rule through SSC-Khaatumo.
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Sign over oil to Turkey, China, and others.
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Protect the loot with foreign-backed armies.
It’s not just Turkey. Azerbaijan is now preparing a defense pact with Somalia, adding another layer to a military shield around Lasanod’s underground riches. While they pretend to fight Al-Shabaab, the truth is Somalia is stockpiling foreign support to seize land that does not belong to them.
Even more shocking: Somalia’s president Mohamud is offering Turkey, SSC-Khaatumo, and others a direct cut—5% of the oil—if they defend the occupation.
This is the same Somalia that begged Somaliland for “peace talks” just months ago. All while building military alliances and laying pipelines under the table.
So the question now isn’t why Somalia is doing this—it’s what Somaliland is prepared to do in response.
Recognition is near. Oil is real. The enemies are at the gate.
Analysis
The SSC-Khaatumo Mirage vs. Somaliland’s Sovereign Might

From clan militias to drones and diplomacy — why Somaliland’s structured power dwarfs SSC-Khaatumo’s fragile façade.
Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s canceled visit to Las Anod is more than a security setback — it’s a seismic exposure of Mogadishu’s vulnerability and Somaliland’s tightening grip over the contested city. The trip, touted as a symbol of federal unity, has morphed into a diplomatic disaster, revealing Barre’s isolation, SSC-Khaatumo’s fragile hold, and Somaliland’s growing edge in military intelligence and strategic depth.
SSC-Khaatumo’s bold declaration to safeguard Barre’s visit rings hollow in the face of credible assassination threats and Mogadishu’s unwillingness to roll the dice. While SSC claims control, Barre’s own advisors reportedly warned of “neutralization” operations—coded language for targeted elimination—should he set foot in Las Anod. These aren’t empty threats; Las Anod is soaked in the blood of assassinated leaders and long-standing clan vendettas. It’s a city where political ambition meets lethal memory.
What’s changed? Everything. Somaliland isn’t just talking tough; it’s quietly becoming a regional tech-military hybrid. With growing ties to Israel, advanced drones, AI-backed surveillance, and strategic diplomacy, Hargeisa is no longer a neglected breakaway — it’s a sovereign actor-in-waiting. And it has one message for Mogadishu: Cross this line and you’ll pay.
Barre’s retreat is not just tactical; it’s symbolic. His recent anti-Israel rhetoric has alienated key Western players, undermining Somalia’s quest for stability and recognition. Worse, it projects weakness. While Mogadishu issues hollow calls for unity, it fails to control the ground in Las Anod — or even protect its own leader there.
SSC-Khaatumo is now left exposed. Their federal backer blinked. And Somaliland is watching — armed, patient, and ready to seize the narrative.
In this escalating war of legitimacy, Barre’s misstep may have just handed Hargeisa a recognition victory. Somaliland didn’t need to block the visit. Fear did that job for them.
Las Anod is no longer neutral ground — it’s a geopolitical fault line. And only one side came ready for war.
Commentary
Somaliland Vice President Leads Historic Nationalization of Civilian Forces

Vice President Aw Abdi Unifies Civilian Forces for National Strength.
Somaliland’s commitment to national unity and robust security, Vice President Mohamed Ali Aw Abdi led a crucial delegation today, overseeing the integration and nationalization of the Civilian Forces and their combat vehicles. This landmark event, prominently celebrated in Turka area, Gar-Adag District, symbolizes a strategic shift towards centralizing military strength under a unified national command.
Vice President Aw Abdi’s acknowledgment of the pivotal role played by the Turka community underscores the government’s emphasis on grassroots cooperation in achieving national security objectives. The move not only strengthens internal cohesion but also sends a clear signal of stability and preparedness to external observers and potential threats.
Further demonstrating the administration’s determination, the Vice President extended his mission to the Saraar Region’s capital, Caynaba, where another major ceremony marked the nationalization of additional forces transferred from Oog District. This transfer signifies the first batch in the region to be officially integrated, setting a precedent for future operations nationwide.
In a comprehensive address, Vice President Aw Abdi reinforced the Waddajir and Wax-Qabad Government’s ambitious strategy, emphasizing their commitment to a unified and robust Somaliland army. “Our vision is clear: one strong army, sufficiently capable of safeguarding Somaliland’s sovereignty and peace,” Aw Abdi declared.
This strategic nationalization represents a critical step toward strengthening Somaliland’s sovereignty claims and security apparatus. With regional tensions escalating, this consolidation ensures that Somaliland is not only internally cohesive but also strategically positioned to face external pressures and challenges confidently.
This initiative marks a transformative moment, promising increased national stability and showcasing the government’s proactive approach to defense and security. This pivotal development is likely to reverberate positively both domestically and in the broader geopolitical landscape of the Horn of Africa.
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