Abdiqani Mohamoud Ateye

Abdiqani Mohamoud Ateye Farid
عبد الغني محمود عاطية
Minister of Defence
In office
31 March 2019[1] – 7 January 2024
PresidentMuse Bihi Abdi
Preceded byIsse Ahmed Yusuf
Succeeded byRooble Abdi Elmi
Minister of Justice
In office
14 December 2017 – 31 March 2019
PresidentMuse Bihi Abdi
Preceded byAhmed Farah Adarre
Succeeded byMustafe Mohamoud Ali
Personal details
PartyKulmiye

Abdiqani Mohamoud Ateye Farid (Somali: Cabdiqani Maxamuud Caateeye Fariid) is a Somalilander politician, who served as the Defence Minister of Somaliland from his appointment in 2019 to 2024.[1]

Biography

Ateye is from the Issa clan.[2][3]

Justice Minister

In December 2017, President Muse Bihi Abdi announced his cabinet appointments, naming Ateye as Minister of Justice.[4]

In June 2018, Abdiqani Mahmoud Ateye said that his ministry was implementing a public education program to help citizens correctly understand their legal rights and obligations, and added that plans were underway to provide support mechanisms for people who could not afford to hire lawyers. He also criticized individuals on the Somalia side for spreading misinformation about Somaliland’s justice system.[5]

Defence Minister

In March 2019, Ateye was appointed Minister of Defense, replacing Isse Ahmed Yusuf who had been dismissed.[1]

In April 2019, Ateye denied a social-media claim that he had signed a letter—allegedly from his time as Minister of Justice—ordering the arrest of a Somaliland businessman, and said that whoever fabricated the rumour was an enemy of Somaliland’s existence.[6]

In January 2020, the UK government’s Special Representative for Somaliland, Stuart Brown, and the British military’s Commander for the Horn of Africa, Col. Huan Davies, each met in their offices with Somaliland’s Minister of Defence Ateye and the Somaliland military command.[7]

In May 2020, Ateye wrote on Twitter condemning arms that the Egyptian government had donated to the Somali government.[8]

In August 2021, Ateye rejected as factually incorrect claims made by House Speaker Abdirisak Khalif, who had suggested that the government may have improperly influenced elections, and that the government lacked representation from respected intellectuals and traditional elders of the Sool region.[9]

In July 2022, Israeli media reported that Somaliland was seeking to establish relations with Israel and that the Somaliland Minister of Defence had attended a related meeting; however, Defence Minister Ateye denied the claim, stating that he had never represented Somaliland at any such meeting and adding that he had personally never even met a Jewish person.[10]

Las Anod conflict

In February 2023, speaking at a ceremony marking the 29th anniversary of the founding of Somaliland’s national army, Ateye said the Somaliland armed forces were not clan militias but a national army drawn from across Somaliland, and argued that terrorists organized the unrest in Las Anod to obstruct voter registration and exclude the Sool community from registering.[11]

In late February 2023, Ateye said that militia forces from Puntland had attacked Somaliland troops stationed in Tukaraq, and that Somaliland forces had repelled the assault.[12]

In April 2023, Ateye accused Puntland presidential adviser Mohammed Said Hersi Morgan of joining the fighting in Las Anod, alleging that he was leading SSC forces battling Somaliland-aligned troops in the area.[13]

In July 2023, Ateye said that Las Anod had become a place entered by wild beasts, adding that while there had been gains in the early stages of the fighting, the people of Las Anod and their administration had been thrown into confusion, that foreign actors had entered Somaliland and launched attacks, and that he called on the national army to remain patient and on the public to support the armed forces.[14]

Resign

On 7 January 2024, Ateye resigned in protest of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Ethiopia and Somaliland that allowed Ethiopia to access Somaliland’s coastline, saying "Ethiopia remains our number one enemy".[15]

Former Defence Minister

In March 2024, the SSC-Khatumo administration announced that it would file a complaint with an International Criminal Court against Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi and senior military officials, including former Defence Minister Ateye, alleging war crimes.[16]

In September 2024, commenting on Somaliland’s defeat in the Las Anod conflict, Abdikarim Ahmed Mohamed Sinif—chair of Somaliland’s National Refugees and IDPs Agency—accused former Defence Minister Ateye of contributing to the setback, alleging that Ateye had covertly coordinated with the opposition Waddani Party and had told the media that two army brigades were “missing,” a claim Sinif said helped lead to troops being tracked down and captured.[17]

Governor of Sahil

In December 2025, President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro” appointed seven new regional governors, naming Ateye as Governor of Sahil Region to replace Mohamed Dahir Abdalla Gafane.[18]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Somaliland President Makes Major Cabinet Changes". Radiodalsan.com. 31 March 2019. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Beelaha Ay Kasoo Jeedaan Wasiirada Xukuumadda Muuse Biixi Soomaaliland" [Clans of Ministers in the Muse Bihi Somaliland Government]. Puntlandes (in Somali). 14 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  3. ^ "Marabbidii miyaa la khiyaameeyey?" [Were the Marabbids Betrayed?]. Allsanaag (in Somali). Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  4. ^ "Akhriso: Magacyada Golaha Wasiirada xukuumadda Somaliland ee la magacaabay" [Read: The Names of the Somaliland Government’s Appointed Cabinet]. Goobjooge (in Somali). 14 December 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  5. ^ "Waxaanu wadnaa barnaamij dadka lagu barayo qof waliba waxa uu xaqa u leeyahay iyo waxa xaqa loogu leeyahay – Wasiirka Cadaaladda Somaliland" [We Are Running a Program to Teach People What Rights They Have and What Is Owed to Them – Somaliland Minister of Justice]. Saxaafimedia (in Somali). June 2018. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  6. ^ "Wasiirka Wasaaradda Gaashaandhigga Somaliland oo beeniyay warqad baraha bulshada lagu faafiyay" [Somaliland Defence Minister Denies a Letter Circulated on Social Media]. Somaliland Today (in Somali). 1 April 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Taliyaha ciidamada dalka Britain ee geeska Afrika oo kulamo la yeeshay taliska ciidanka Militeriga iyo wasaarada gaashaandhiga Somaliland" [UK Forces Commander for the Horn of Africa Holds Meetings with Somaliland’s Military Command and Ministry of Defence]. Hiiraan Online (in Somali). 25 January 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  8. ^ "Wargeyska Ka Soo Baxa Addis Ababa Oo Sheegay In Abiye Axmed Uu Ku Fashilmay Dhexdhexaadintii Somaliland Iyo Soomaaliya" [An Addis Ababa Newspaper Said Abiy Ahmed Failed to Mediate Between Somaliland and Somalia]. Somaliland Today (in Somali). 31 May 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  9. ^ "Xukuumada Somaliland oo ka falcelisay waraysi uu bixiyay guddoomiyaha golaha wakiilada" [Somaliland Government Responds to an Interview Given by the Speaker of the House of Representatives]. Mogadishu Times (in Somali). August 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Wasiirka Difaaca Somaliland oo ka hadlay warka ku saabsan inuu la shiray Israa'iil" [Somaliland Defence Minister Responds to Reports of Meeting with Israel]. BBC Somali (in Somali). 17 July 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  11. ^ "Garaad Cabdiqani heshiiska Somaliland ayuu ka taliyey, Inna Garaad Cali-na Colaadeeda" [Garaad Cabdiqani Led Somaliland’s Peace Deal, While Garaad Ali’s Son Fuels Conflict]. Wargeyska Dawan (in Somali). 3 February 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  12. ^ "Maamul-goboleedka Puntland oo weerar ku soo qaaday fadhiisinta Ciidanka Qaranka ee Tukaraq" [Puntland Administration Launches an Attack on National Army Positions in Tukaraq]. Haatuf Online (in Somali). February 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  13. ^ "Somaliland oo ku eedeysay Gen Morgan inuu ka dagaalamayo Laascaanood" [Somaliland Accuses Gen. Morgan of Fighting in Las Anod]. Puntlandes (in Somali). 13 April 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  14. ^ "Laascaanood Waxay Noqotay Bahalo Galeen Wasiirka Gaashaandhiga" [Las Anod Has Become a Place Entered by Wild Beasts, Says the Defence Minister]. Wargeyska Dawan (in Somali). 1 July 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  15. ^ "Somaliland's defense minister resigns over deal to give Ethiopia access to the region's coastline". AP News. 2024-01-08. Retrieved 2024-01-12.
  16. ^ "SSC-Khaatumo oo wadda qorshe ka dhan ah MUUSE BIIXI iyo tallaabo ay qaaday" [SSC-Khatumo Pursues a Plan Against Muse Bihi and a Step It Has Taken]. Caasimada Online (in Somali). 13 March 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  17. ^ "Xukuumadda Somaliland oo sheegtay in Wasiirkii hore Gaashaandhiggu jebiyay Ciidamada Qaranka" [Somaliland Government Says the Former Defence Minister Undermined the National Army]. HargeisaPress (in Somali). 28 September 2024. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  18. ^ "Madaxweynaha Somaliland oo isku shaandhayn ku sameeyay badhasaabada gobolada" [Somaliland President Reshuffles Regional Governors]. Hiiraan Online (in Somali). 10 December 2025. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdiqani_Mohamoud_Aateye