Hargeisa, Somaliland – November 16, 2024:- Former Somaliland President Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud Silaanyo passed away on the night of November 15, 2024, at his residence in Hargeisa. Silaanyo, who had been battling a long-term illness for the past three years, died peacefully at the age of 86.
The Government of Somaliland has declared two days of national mourning in honor of the late president, with his burial ceremony scheduled for November 16, 2024. Silaanyo’s passing marks the end of an era for Somaliland, a nation that he helped shape through his leadership and tireless political work.
Who is Silaanyo?
Born in 1938, Silaanyo had a distinguished career in both Somalia and Somaliland. He held various key government positions, beginning as Somalia’s Minister of Commerce from 1973 to 1975, and Minister of Planning and International Cooperation from 1980 to 1982 under the regime of the late President Siad Barre. His tenure in the Somali government, however, was overshadowed by the political turmoil that led to the collapse of the Somali state.
In the mid-1980s, Silaanyo became a key leader in the Somali National Movement (SNM), an opposition group that played a pivotal role in overthrowing Siad Barre’s government. Following the fall of Barre’s regime, the SNM helped pave the way for the formation of Somaliland’s government. Silaanyo later became a member of Somaliland’s parliament and served as Minister of Finance before rising to the presidency in 2010.
Silaanyo served as president of Somaliland from 2010 to 2017, leading the country through a period of relative stability and economic development. His leadership was widely praised for maintaining peace in the region and fostering Somaliland’s self-declared independence, which has not been recognized by the international community.
Silaanyo’s death comes at a critical time for Somaliland, with the nation having just concluded a successful electoral process. The people of Somaliland are eagerly awaiting the results of the elections, a situation that adds a layer of significance to the loss of the former president.
Politicians and leaders across Somalia and Somaliland have expressed their condolences, reflecting on Silaanyo’s significant contributions to both the political landscape of Somalia and the founding of Somaliland. In a statement, Somaliland’s current president, Muse Bihi Abdi, described Silaanyo as a “visionary leader” whose contributions to the nation’s development would be remembered for generations to come.
Somali politicians from across the Horn of Africa also paid tribute to Silaanyo’s legacy, praising his role in the Somali National Movement and his commitment to the self-determination of Somaliland.
As Somaliland prepares to bid farewell to one of its most influential political figures, the country remains in a period of reflection on the life and work of Ahmed Mohamed Mohamud Silaanyo, a leader who shaped the history of both Somalia and Somaliland.
