JIJIGA — The 7th Council of Ethiopia’s Somali Regional State has re-elected Mustafa Muhumed Omar (Agjar) as president of the regional administration, extending his leadership into a new political term.

The decision was made during the inaugural session of the newly constituted 7th Council in Jigjiga, where new council members were sworn in, and the legislature’s leadership was elected. Mubashir Dubad was chosen as Speaker, while Engineer Hanan Abdi became Deputy Speaker.

Mustafa first assumed leadership of the Somali Regional State in August 2018, following the removal of former president Abdi Mohamoud Omar (Abdi Iley) amid a major political and security crisis between the regional administration and Ethiopia’s federal government. His latest re-election makes him one of the longest-serving leaders in the region’s modern political history.

During his tenure, Mustafa’s administration has emphasized infrastructure development, education, healthcare, water supply, security and investment. The regional government has also expanded development programs and recently announced a 2026/27 budget of 108.9 billion Ethiopian birr, with revenues expected to come from both internal sources and federal grants.

The new term begins as the Somali Regional State faces several continuing challenges, including security, relations with the federal government in Addis Ababa, border administration, pastoralist development and the expansion of basic services in rural areas.

Mustafa’s re-election provides political continuity at a time when the Somali Regional State remains strategically important to Ethiopia’s federal system and its wider Horn of Africa politics. His long tenure gives him considerable experience in managing relations with Addis Ababa, but the new administration will also face pressure to translate political stability into improved services, economic opportunities and security for the region’s population. The formation of the 7th Council also gives Mustafa a new political mandate to advance his development agenda while managing the region’s relationship with Ethiopia’s federal government.