ONLF Chairman Presents Ogaden Situation at UNPO General Assembly in The Hague

THE HAGUE — The Chairman of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has presented the current situation in the Somali State (Ogaden) to the General Assembly of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO), which is marking its 35th anniversary in The Hague, Netherlands.

The conference, titled “Re-imagining Self-determination,” brought together representatives from unrepresented nations and peoples to discuss the future of self-determination in a changing international order. The ONLF presentation to the UNPO General Assembly follows a long-standing relationship between the organization and the UNPO, which has previously adopted resolutions supporting the Ogaden people’s demands for safeguarding their rights and condemning the silence of the international community on this issue.

The ONLF was founded on August 15, 1984, by six former members of the Western Somali Liberation Front and other related movements. This year’s anniversary comes at a time when the organisation says it is focusing on political and diplomatic efforts to advance its goals, having transitioned from armed struggle to a political movement following a 2018 peace agreement with the Ethiopian government .

ONLF spokesman Adani Hirmooge addressed the commemorations, outlining the organisation’s political direction and future plans. He expressed hope that next year’s anniversary could be celebrated inside the Somali Region, particularly in Jijiga, if security and political conditions allow. He also stated that the ONLF aims to play a prominent role in the political leadership of the Somali Region, seeking to ensure that the people of the region have greater control over their political, economic, and natural resources .

The ONLF has strongly condemned the ongoing Ogaden Gas Project, describing it as a direct violation of Somali rights and a betrayal of the peace commitments signed with the Ethiopian government . The group accused Ethiopian authorities and foreign companies of exploiting the natural resources of the Somali Region without consulting the local population, warning that the project threatens to destroy pastoral livelihoods, displace communities, and deepen economic marginalisation in one of Ethiopia’s most resource-rich but historically neglected areas .

The ONLF signed a peace agreement with the Ethiopian government in Asmara on October 21, 2018, mediated by Eritrea, during the reformist period of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. The agreement was intended to end decades of armed conflict and provide a framework for the ONLF to pursue its objectives through peaceful political means .

However, the organisation has in recent years expressed concerns about the political situation in the Somali Region and the implementation of the peace agreement .

ONLF leader Abdikarim Muse Qalbi Dhagah returned to Mogadishu in May 2022 after the Somali government revoked its designation of the ONLF as a “terrorist organisation.” Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble welcomed Qalbi Dhagah and apologised for his previous extradition to Ethiopia in 2018 .

In June 2025, the ONLF held a congress in Jijiga where Abdikarim Sheikh Muse was formally elected as the new chairman, replacing Abdirahman Mahdi, who was removed from his position. The ONLF has since clarified that Mahdi no longer represents the organisation and that any statements made by him are his personal views . The organisation has also distanced itself from an X (formerly Twitter) account operating under the handle @ONLFofficial, stating it is not an official party channel .

The ONLF Chairperson attended President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s inauguration in Mogadishu in 2022, reflecting the organisation’s engagement with Somalia’s federal leadership .

The ONLF has also mourned the death of former Somali Prime Minister Professor Ali Khalif Galaydh, who passed away in Jigjiga, the administrative capital of Ethiopia’s Somali Region. The ONLF praised Galaydh as a “prominent educator” and “political figure” who played a crucial role in advancing the causes of Somalis .

Critical Note

The ONLF’s presentation at the UNPO General Assembly highlights the enduring grievances of the Somali population in Ethiopia’s Somali Region, but it also exposes the deep fractures within the organization itself. The internal leadership dispute between the factions of Abdirahman Mahdi and Abdikarim Muse has undermined the ONLF’s ability to present a unified front and has raised questions about its legitimacy as a representative of the Ogaden people.

The UNPO’s 35th anniversary provides a platform for the ONLF to raise international awareness, but the organization’s credibility is weakened by its internal divisions and the conflicting claims of its rival factions. The faction currently in control of the ONLF’s official structures has distanced itself from Mahdi’s activities, casting doubt on the representativeness of the message delivered in The Hague.

For the Ogaden people, who have endured decades of political exclusion, militarization, and economic hardship, the fragmentation of their primary political movement represents a significant setback. The international community must recognise that the ONLF’s internal disputes are not merely organizational matters but reflect deeper challenges facing the Somali community in Ethiopia. Without a unified and credible political voice, the prospects for meaningful dialogue with the Ethiopian government and for achieving the rights and recognition that the Ogaden people seek remain uncertain.