SOMALIA: Maakhir University – A Campus of Somali National University (SNU)

The signing of the historic Maakhir-SNU agreement

Maakhir University – A Campus of Somali National University (SNU)

By Mohamed Elmi (Dholey)

Makhir University will be one of the campuses of Somali National University (SNU). MP Gamal has secured the approval from the Council of Ministers and Minister of Education, Minister Abdullahi Godax. Among the college campuses of SNU include the historically prestigious Lafoole and the main campus, Gaheyr.

The plan was approved and signed on May 21 by the Council of Ministers of the Federal Government. As a remote campus of SNU in northern Somalia, the budget was already appropriated and signed by the Minister of Finance; its faculty and staff will be paid regularly through the Federal Ministries of Education and Finance. 

Benefits

As the main northern campus of Somali National University (SNU), Maakhir University will help accelerate the town development of Badhan. Student admission will be rigorous and competitive and lead to an increase in the size and diversity of the student population. For over three decades, SNU used to be the prestigious national university with big names on its alumni. Additionally, the values of the school is to preserve the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia. For instance, the university carries the symbol "National".  The federal council of ministers serves as the SNU’s board of directors and the national president nominally serves as its board chair.

Maakhir University students will enroll in undergraduate and graduate courses in its six faculties with 100% free tuition; however, incoming students are required to pay small administrative fees related to matriculation. Other benefits include sharing of resources and faculty between the two campuses, which will  help accelerate transfer of knowledge and skills. 

Challenges

As the main campus of the Somali National University, Makhir University clearly poses political and economic challenges to both “Somaliland” and Puntland. The latter fears a gradual shift in power and the capacity to exercise control over Maakhir regions. In a recent interview, Puntland’s leader, Mr. Deni, has accused the federal government of interfering in the internal affairs of “Somaliland”, as though the latter is an independent of the rest of the Federal Republic of Somalia. Clearly, Mr. Deni took a hostile posture that defies logic and legal bounds, adding to the frustration and the local’s deep discontent with Puntland's hollow claims over the status of Sanaag and Sool regions.

“Somaliland”, which does not control the region, is equally opposed to the expansion of Makhir University. Reliable sources indicate “Somaliland” authorities deployed federal MPs and ministers who are of the Dir clan family to pressure the federal government to deny or put off the merger indefinitely. The break-away region also used the Djibouti-held peace talks with the federal government as an additional leverage to stop the merger.

Community Support

SNU President, Prof. Jim'ale in Badhan, Sanaag, Somalia

The social, political, and economic impact of this historic agreement was well-known to the community.  Two federal MPs from the region were key to the success of the merger by mobilizing community leaders and the buy-in within the federal and state authorities and other stakeholders. The impetus for structural change is palpable as the president of the Somali National University, Prof. Jim'ale, received a major reception in Badhan, Sanaag, Somalia. The locals have long felt and tried to deal with the burden of sending their best and bright students to far-off regions. 

 

Conclusion 

A long-term solution is eliminating the harmful but false status of “disputed regions” through popular will and political leadership. However, in the short term, Gamal Hassan's leadership helped introduce incentives, and as a popular representative he worked hard to remove almost all the restraining forces that might have been created by Puntland elites, in particular, to keep the Maakhir regions under chronic under-development and marginalization.