What You Need to Know
The UK government has officially stated it does not recognize the independence of Somaliland, a self-declared region separate from Somalia. This position is supported by the European Union, which emphasizes the importance of Somalia’s territorial integrity and calls for dialogue between the Somali federal government and Somaliland authorities.
Africa. The UK government has announced that it does not recognize the independence of Somaliland, a region separate from Somalia, and reiterated its support for Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The European Union has also confirmed its commitment to the territorial unity of Somalia and called for dialogue between the Somali authorities and the unrecognized Somaliland administration. This was stated in a press release from the European External Action Service.
The statement emphasized, “The European Union underscores the importance of respecting the unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia in accordance with its constitution, the African Union framework, and the United Nations system. The EU calls for serious dialogue between Somaliland and the Somali federal government to resolve long-standing disputes.”
The EU also noted that the territorial integrity of Somalia is “crucial for achieving peace and stability in the entire Horn of Africa region.”
Previously, the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing announced on Monday its opposition to any attempts to divide the territory of Somalia, following Israel’s official recognition of the self-declared Republic of Somaliland as an independent state three days earlier, making it the first country to do so.
Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters at a regular press conference, “No country should encourage or support internal separatist forces in other countries for its own interests.” He urged the authorities in Somaliland to cease “separatist activities and collusion with external forces.” The South African Foreign Ministry also called on the international community on Monday to “reject this external intervention and support a unified and stable Somalia.”
Somaliland has enjoyed de facto autonomy and relative peace and stability since 1991, when Somalia descended into civil war; however, the separatist region has not received recognition from any other country.
On Friday, Israel announced it would seek immediate cooperation with Somaliland in agriculture, health, technology, and economy. Somalia condemned this move, describing it as “illegal” and a “deliberate attack” on its sovereignty.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991, following the collapse of the Somali government and the onset of civil war. Despite its self-governance and relative stability, Somaliland has not received international recognition, leading to ongoing tensions with the Somali federal government and calls for dialogue to resolve these issues.
Recently, Israel became the first country to recognize Somaliland, prompting international responses from various nations, including the UK and EU, which reaffirm their support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.
