Sunday July 20, 2025
Hargeisa (HOL) — Somaliland has renewed its criticism of the United Nations’ 2023 decision to lift a decades-long arms embargo on Somalia, arguing the move has destabilized the region, after Puntland authorities seized a vessel allegedly transporting weapons last week off the coast of northeastern Somalia.
The ship, identified as Sea World, was intercepted by Puntland maritime forces on July 18 around 2:00 p.m. near the coastal town of Bareeda in the Bari region. Authorities believe the vessel was carrying a cache of illicit arms, some of which may have ended up in the hands of civilians in Bareeda and Caluula, according to an official directive issued by the regional prosecutor’s office in Raas Asayr.
In a letter dated July 19, Raas Asayr regional prosecutor Abdirahman Mahamud Ali ordered a full criminal investigation under Article 24 of Somalia’s Criminal Procedure Code. The directive instructed police to trace the cargo’s entry, determine how the weapons were handled, and identify individuals responsible. The letter was also copied to the Puntland Attorney General and the General Command of the Puntland Police, elevating the case to the highest levels of state authority.
Somaliland’s Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan cited the incident as further evidence that the UN’s embargo lift has worsened arms proliferation in Somalia.
“The decision to lift the UN arms embargo on the failed state of Somalia has had far-reaching and destabilizing consequences; rather than contributing to peace and stability, it has emboldened extremist elements and further undermined security across the region.”
He called on the international community to urgently reassess the embargo’s removal, citing growing threats across the Horn of Africa.
The UN Security Council lifted the embargo in December 2023, ending a ban first imposed in 1992 during Somalia’s civil war. The Somali federal government welcomed the decision at the time, with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud describing it as a “historic milestone” that would enhance national sovereignty and counterterrorism capabilities.
But the move faced immediate skepticism from regional actors, including Puntland and Somaliland, who warned that Somalia lacked the institutional oversight needed to manage weapons imports. Security analysts told Hiiraan Online that lifting the embargo risked fueling arms leakage to clan militias and extremist networks.
The Puntland government has not disclosed the origin or destination of the Sea World, but officials are treating the incident as a serious security breach.
Tensions over security governance have simmered for over a year. In May 2024, Puntland declared that it would no longer cooperate with federal security deployments unless prior consultations were held, citing concerns about unilateral decisions and a lack of transparency.
Somaliland’s latest remarks align with longstanding grievances over centralized arms control in Somalia. Like Puntland, it has pushed back against federal control over weapons procurement and military oversight, particularly following the end of the arms embargo.
The Somali federal government has not issued a statement regarding the Sea World incident.
