North Western State of Somalia President Irro announces a major cabinet reshuffle
Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro has carried out a wide-ranging cabinet shake-up, removing, appointing and moving a number of senior officials in one of the administration’s most significant personnel changes...
Monday April 6, 2026
Hargeisa (AX) — North Western State of Somalia President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi Irro has carried out a wide-ranging cabinet shake-up, removing, appointing and moving a number of senior officials in one of the administration’s most significant personnel changes since taking office.
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Announced through a presidential decree, the changes reach across several major ministries and top advisory posts. The overhaul appears aimed at tightening the government’s reform drive and improving the efficiency of public service delivery, according to analysts.
Among the most prominent changes is the appointment of Lawyer Barkhad Jama Hirsi Batoon, the highest-polling member of the House of Representatives in the 2021 elections, as Minister of Information, Culture and Awareness. He takes over following the resignation of Ahmed Yasin Sheikh Ali Ayaanle.
Additional ministerial appointments include Adan Geddi Qayaad as Minister of Agriculture, Mohamed Abdimaalik as Minister of Water Development, and Dr. Abdisalan Hussein Awaale as Minister of Communications and Technology.
The reshuffle also affected deputy ministerial posts. Mukhtaar Haaji Muxumad Farah was moved from Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development to Deputy Minister of Water Development, while Eng. Mohamed Elmi Hussein (Huuno) was named Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Affairs and Family.
Mohamed Muse Haaji Abdi (Galaaydh) was appointed Deputy Minister of Information, Culture and Awareness, and Mohamed Yusuf Ibrahim Faacuul was shifted from Deputy Minister of Education to Deputy Minister of Minerals and Energy.
In the health sector, Dr. Mohamed Aw Dahir Ibrahim and Ms. Samsam Mohamed Salah Yacniile were named Deputy Ministers of Health Development after being transferred from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. Eng. Maliki Abdi Hassan Hirsi was also reassigned from Deputy Minister of Communications and Technology to Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development as part of broader reforms focused on productive sectors.
President Cirro further appointed Khadar Haaji Yusuf Abdillahi as Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, a post considered central to civil service reform and administrative oversight. He also named Dr. Mohamed Osman Fadal as Senior Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs, underscoring a stronger push to expand North Western State of Somalia’s international outreach.