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Thursday, August 1, 2024
HARGEISA (HOL) – HARGEISA (HOL) — The Somaliland Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it has formed a ministerial committee to strengthen its efforts towards international recognition, a move that marks a major step forward in Somaliland’s 33-year quest for recognition.
The announcement said the new committee will focus on developing and implementing a strategy to gain recognition. The development comes after Somaliland and Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that sent shockwaves through the Horn of Africa. Somaliland said Ethiopia would become the first country to grant it recognition in exchange for access to the sea. The deal sparked outrage in Somalia, which viewed it as an act of aggression. In April, Somalia expelled the Ethiopian ambassador and threatened to expel more than 8,000 Ethiopian troops stationed there to fight al-Shabaab.
Somaliland Foreign Minister Dr. Essa Kaid Mohamed, who was recently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to finalize the maritime agreement, previously said that once the agreement is reached, the Ministerial Committee will work to transform the understanding into a formal agreement.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has its own government, flag, army, currency and courts. Somaliland seeks independence because of historical grievances, including the bombing of Hargeisa during Somalia’s dictatorship, which killed tens of thousands of people and left deep scars.
Despite Ethiopia’s bold move, the international community, including the African Union, is hesitant to support Somaliland’s independence for fear that it would set a precedent for other separatist movements. Ethiopia assured Western diplomats during negotiations with Somaliland that it respects Somalia’s territorial integrity in accordance with the African Union Charter and international law. The government of Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed clarified that despite the signing of the memorandum of understanding, the Ethiopian government has not committed to granting diplomatic recognition to Somaliland.
Somaliland’s efforts to seek recognition are also affected by regional dynamics. Egypt, already clashing with Ethiopia over a dam on the Nile, has pledged to defend Somalia’s sovereignty. U.S. officials worry that this could affect the fight against al-Shabaab.
Reactions within Somaliland have been mixed. While there is excitement about the possibility of recognition, there are also concerns, doubts about transparency and commitment from Ethiopia. Internal tensions were highlighted by the resignation of Somaliland’s defense minister for calling Ethiopia an enemy, and the arrests of journalists and a pop star who were critical of the deal.
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