Said Abdullahi Deni

Said Abdullahi Deni (Somali: Siciid Cabdullaahi Deni, Arabic: سعيد عبدالله دني; born 1966 or 1967),^[1] also known as Said Deni,^[2][3] is the current president of Puntland (a region of Somalia). He was first elected on January 8, 2019. Five years later, on February 8, 2024, he was reelected.^{[4] [5]}

Said Abdullahi Deni
Siciid Cabdullaahi Deni سعيد عبدالله دني‎
Deni in 2021
6th President of Puntland
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 January 2019
Vice President	Ahmed Elmi Osman (2019–2024) Ilyas Osman Lugator (2024–present)
Preceded by	Abdiweli Gaas
Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation (Somalia)
In office 17 January 2014 – 22 February 2017
President	Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
Preceded by	Mohamud Hassan Suleiman
Personal details
Born	1965 or 1966 (age 58–59) Mogadishu, Somalia
Political party	Kaah
Alma mater	Somali National University
Occupation	Businessman President Politician
Nickname	"Deni"

Said was born in Mogadishu, Somalia. His family hails from the Osman Mohamoud sub of the larger Harti Majeerteen. Previously, he served as the minister of planning of Somalia, after having been appointed to the position on 17 January 2014 by the prime minister, Abdiweli Sheikh Ahmed.^[6] He was also a presidential candidate in the 2017 and 2022 elections for the Somali presidency. Since 2020, he represents the Kaah political association.

Minister of Planning

Somalia–Japan bilateral cooperation

In March 2014, Mohamed and a Somali government delegation including President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Abdirahman Duale Beyle and Minister of Public Works and Reconstruction Nadifo Mohamed Osman made a four-day visit to Tokyo, where they met with Ambassador Tatsushi Terada and other senior Japanese government officials. President Mohamud and his delegation also conferred with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to discuss strengthening bilateral relations, as well as capacity training for Somali livestock and agricultural development professionals.^[7] The visit concluded with an announcement by Japanese Prime Minister Abe that his administration would put forth a $40 million funding package for the rehabilitation of Somalia's police forces, relief services, and job creation opportunities. Mohamud commended the Japanese government for intensifying its bilateral support, and suggested that the development initiatives would be centered on vocational training for youth and women, maritime and fisheries training, fisheries and agricultural infrastructure development, and communication and information technology support.^[8]

Population census

In September 2014, the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation published a preliminary population census for Somalia. It is the first such governmental initiative in over two decades. The UNFPA assisted the Ministry in the project, which is slated to be finalized ahead of the planned plebiscite and local and national elections in 2016. According to Minister of Planning Said Deni and Deputy Prime Minister Ridwan Hirsi Mohamed, the census will facilitate the implementation of Vision 2016 and general development projects in the country. The Ministry of Planning also indicated that the preliminary census data suggests that there are around 12,360,000 residents in the nation, and that it plans to conduct a census of Somali expatriates.^[9]

President of Puntland

The Puntland parliament elected a new president on January 8, 2019 in a hotly contested presidential election.^[10]

Former Federal Minister for Planning and International Cooperation Said Abdullahi Deni and Ahmed Elmi Karash were elected as President and Vice-President of Puntland, respectively, on Tuesday.^[11]

Deni won 35 out of 66 votes from regional lawmakers in the third, and last round , defeating 20 other candidates. His closest challenger, General Asad Osman Abdullahi, former Puntland spy chief, received 31 votes.

The new president, 52, is widely known for his role in education in Puntland where he helped establish schools and universities. In 2017 he mounted an unsuccessful run for president of Somalia.

Deni campaigned on promoting economic growth and fighting corruption in the relatively peaceful Somali region.

“A new chapter has opened for this region, a chapter of unity and brotherly relations among Somalis,” the new president said.

Puntland's outgoing president, Abdiwali Mohamed Ali, lost in the first round of the election with only eight votes.^[12]

On January 8, 2024, Said Abdullahi Deni was re-elected as president of Puntland. He was voted in by 45 out of the 66 members of Parliament. He is the first president in Somalia to be re-elected in Somalia's nascent 64 year history.