GAROWE, Somalia — Puntland President Said Abdullahi Deni has sharply criticized young people who are leaving the region in search of work abroad, accusing them of rejecting employment opportunities at home while accepting similar or lower-level jobs overseas.
Speaking during remarks on unemployment and youth migration, President Deni said the trend reflects what he described as a “discipline problem” and urged parents and educators to play a greater role in guiding young people.
“Our youth are taking jobs that they are ashamed of here in the places they go, which is another form of indiscipline,” Deni said. “Parents and teachers should correct their children’s upbringing and at least stop the jobs that are being refused.”
The president also disputed the notion that Puntland suffers from widespread unemployment. Instead, he argued that the country’s labor market remains strong, pointing to the large number of foreign workers who have taken up key roles across the region.
“This country is said to be a place of unemployment, while on the other hand, foreigners are coming to work. These are two issues that cannot be reconciled,” he said. “Many important positions are filled by people who have come from abroad and are foreigners. You can see that the few thousand people working in this area are small compared to the number of people born in Puntland.”
Deni’s remarks come amid growing concern over youth migration, as young Somalis increasingly attempt to reach Europe, the Gulf states, and other regions in search of work and stability. Critics argue that limited job creation, economic stagnation, and insecurity are major drivers of the exodus, while government officials continue to insist that local opportunities exist.
