Somaliland is opening a new round of government employment as long-serving public workers retire. Awdal receives the largest regional share of new positions at 25%, followed by Maroodi Jeex and Togdheer at 20% each.
Somaliland Announces Recruitment Drive to Replace Retiring Public Employees
HARGEISA — Somaliland’s government has announced a large-scale recruitment drive to replace public employees retiring in 2026, opening new government positions across six regions as part of a wider transition in the civil service.
President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro on Sunday inaugurated an event announcing the recruitment of new employees who will fill vacancies created by retiring government workers.
Under the regional distribution announced by the government, Awdal received the largest allocation, with 25% of the available positions.
Maroodi Jeex and Togdheer were each allocated 20%, while Sanaag received 15%. Sahil and Sool were each allocated 10%.
The recruitment program marks the beginning of a generational transition within Somaliland’s public institutions as long-serving employees leave government service and new workers enter ministries and agencies.
Speaking at the event, President Irro emphasized that retirement should not mean abandoning employees who have spent years serving the government.
“Retirement is not the end of the value and dignity of a person who has worked, but rather a stage where the government fulfills its responsibility to provide for and care for long-serving employees,” the president said.
Irro said both civilian government employees and members of the security forces have legal rights to salaries and pension benefits, stressing that Somaliland’s pension system is governed by law.
The president also praised the Pension and Compensation Authority for its work in preparing and administering the retirement system.
He instructed government ministries, agencies and other public institutions to cooperate fully with the authority as the retirement and replacement process moves forward.
The recruitment drive could create significant employment opportunities, particularly for younger Somalilanders seeking entry into the public sector.
The regional allocation also places Awdal at the forefront of the new recruitment program. With one-quarter of the positions assigned to the region, Awdal receives a larger share than Maroodi Jeex, which includes the capital Hargeisa.
The announced distribution is:
- Awdal — 25%
- Maroodi Jeex — 20%
- Togdheer — 20%
- Sanaag — 15%
- Sahil — 10%
- Sool — 10%
The allocations total 100% of the positions covered by the announced regional distribution.
Beyond recruitment, the initiative represents an important test of Somaliland’s public-sector management. Replacing retiring employees requires government institutions to preserve institutional knowledge while bringing younger workers into the civil service.
Transparent recruitment will also be important as the program moves from announcement to implementation, particularly regarding eligibility requirements, examinations, selection procedures and the final distribution of positions among individual government institutions.
The government has presented the initiative as both a retirement program for long-serving employees and an opportunity to introduce a new generation into public service.
For retiring workers, the focus will now turn to whether pension and compensation entitlements are delivered effectively. For prospective employees, attention will shift to how and when the newly allocated positions are advertised and filled.
The recruitment program therefore represents more than a change in personnel. It begins a broader transition in Somaliland’s public workforce, replacing employees who have served government institutions for years while opening the door to a new generation of civil servants.
