Las Anod — Efforts to establish a new regional administration in northeastern Somalia have entered a new phase, with delegates preparing to begin the selection of parliamentarians, officials said.

The emerging federal member state, officially named the Northeast Somalia Administration, was declared during a recent high-level conference in Laascaanood, encompassing the regions of Sool and Sanaag.

According to Somalia's Minister of Interior, Ali Hoosh, the process will now shift to selecting 83 members of parliament, who will represent the various clans that have jointly agreed to form the new administration.

"Following the approval of the constitution, we are moving to the next stage, which is the selection of MPs. After that, we will proceed with electing the leadership of the administration," Minister Hoosh told reporters.

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The formation of the new regional entity marks a significant political development in northern Somalia, where local grievances and security challenges have fueled demands for greater autonomy.

During the Laascaanood conference, 417 delegates endorsed the provisional constitution of the new administration, along with its official flag, in what organizers described as a landmark moment for the region's political future.

The process reflects ongoing tensions in Somalia's federal system, particularly in contested regions where calls for self-governance remain strong.

The new administration seeks to operate within the framework of Somalia's federal constitution, although its emergence may spark political disputes with other established federal states and the central government in Mogadishu.

The selection of MPs is expected to be completed in the coming weeks, paving the way for the election of a regional president and the formal establishment of government institutions.