Abdirahman Du’ale Bayle, former Finance Minister of Somalia, arrived in Hargeisa on Sunday after allegedly being granted permission by the President of Somaliland, Muse Bihi Abdi, to return to the breakaway region.
Minister Bayle is one of Somaliland’s most prominent political figures and had served in Somalia’s federal government before returning to Somaliland as part of an amnesty deal.
Somaliland’s Parliament issued a formal ban on its citizens working in Mogadishu’s Federal Government, which has been updated as recently as 2021. The most recent officials to return to Somaliland were Mohamed Omar Arte, former Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia, and Mustafe Kodah, a former member of Somalia’s Upper House.
Minister Bayle reportedly owns property in Hargeisa, including Al-Jabal, an upscale hotel that opened in February, among other businesses. After stepping down from his position as finance minister, the former finance minister expressed his desire to return to Somaliland.
Following accusations from social media users that the hotel was built with embezzled funds, the former finance minister defended himself in a video posted to his personal Facebook page, where he explained his professional record. Bayle stated that all of his assets were publicly declared before joining the Farmajo administration, and the source of his wealth was his almost five-decade-long career in finance. It’s worth noting, however, that the asset declarations were never made public.
Somaliland, a former British territory, declared independence from Somalia in 1991, but it has not been recognized by the international community. The region has experienced relative stability, while Somalia has been plagued by decades of civil war and Islamist insurgency.
