President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro appealed to Ethiopia, Kenya and the UAE to formally recognize Somaliland during the republic’s 35th independence anniversary celebrations in Hargeisa, as Somaliland officials renewed expectations that Ethiopia could become one of the next countries to formally recognize Somaliland’s statehood
HARGEISA — President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro appealed Sunday to Ethiopia, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates to formally recognize Somaliland, urging regional and international partners to follow Israel’s lead in acknowledging the republic’s sovereignty after more than three decades without broad international recognition.
Speaking during celebrations marking the 35th anniversary of Somaliland’s 1991 restoration of independence from Somalia, Irro framed Somaliland’s case as one rooted in historical legitimacy, democratic governance and regional stability.
“I am pleased to announce that today, the President of the State of Israel will officially receive the credentials of our ambassador,” Irro told crowds gathered in Hargeisa during the anniversary ceremony.
Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland in late December 2025. Earlier this month, Israel formally accepted Mohamed Haji, PhD, as Somaliland’s fully accredited ambassador, making him the territory’s first internationally recognized ambassador.
The celebrations drew senior government officials and foreign delegations from Ethiopia, Kenya, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates, underscoring Somaliland’s growing regional engagement despite its continued lack of widespread international recognition.
Irro used the occasion to renew calls for international acknowledgment of what he described as Somaliland’s “legal, historical and moral right” to sovereignty.
“Somaliland has never been alone,” Irro said, naming Israel, Ethiopia, the UAE, Taiwan and Kenya among Somaliland’s longstanding partners. “In both good and difficult times, those nations have stood with us.”
Although countries including Ethiopia, the United Kingdom, the United States, Taiwan, Djibouti, Kenya, Turkey, Sweden and the UAE maintain representative offices in Somaliland, none besides Israel has granted full diplomatic recognition.
The president also urged member states of the African Union to revisit findings from the bloc’s 2005 fact-finding mission to Somaliland, which described the territory as politically stable and distinct from Somalia in terms of its historical trajectory and governance institutions.
“I call upon African Union member states to learn from the tragic consequences caused by forcing together nations and political systems that cannot coexist,” Irro said.
The African Union delegation, which visited Somaliland in 2005, stopped short of recommending recognition but characterized Somaliland as a unique case warranting deeper engagement and possible observer status within continental institutions.
The diplomatic appeal comes as neighboring Somalia faces mounting political uncertainty following the expiration of the mandates of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the federal parliament. Ongoing disagreements over constitutional procedures and delayed political negotiations have fueled concerns about governance and security in Mogadishu.
Against that backdrop, Irro portrayed Somaliland as a comparatively stable political system.
“We are a civilized people who resolve challenges through dialogue and mutual understanding,” he said.
During the anniversary events, Somaliland formally launched the Somaliland Independence Recognition Institute, known as SIRI, a new organization intended to coordinate international lobbying, legal advocacy and diplomatic outreach in pursuit of recognition.
Irro described the institute as a body that would pursue Somaliland’s recognition campaign “systematically and relentlessly.”
The organization will be chaired by Gavin Williamson, the former British defense and education secretary and a senior member of the UK Conservative Party. British human rights lawyer Jason McCue will serve as director, while American diplomat and attorney David Carden — the first resident U.S. ambassador to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations under President Barack Obama — was appointed director of legal affairs.
In remarks during the launch ceremony, Williamson drew sharp comparisons between Somalia and Somaliland, recounting visits he made to both territories while serving in the British government.
“I remember flying into Mogadishu, a once beautiful city ravaged by war,” Williamson said. “I saw a country divided and consumed by conflict. I saw a president who was not in control of even the capital city, let alone the country.”
Williamson criticized Somalia’s political leadership for what he described as a failure to establish functioning state institutions.
“It seemed more interested in sustaining itself through conflict and terrorism than building a state to serve its people,” he said.
He contrasted that experience with what he described as Somaliland’s democratic development and political stability despite lacking formal international recognition.
“Somaliland is a place we do not formally recognize, yet it seems to be doing so much right,” Williamson said. “For the first time, I saw a nation that placed the value of its people at the center of its agenda.”
He praised Somaliland’s elections, education system and institutional development, arguing that the territory had embraced many of the democratic principles Western governments often cite as conditions for state legitimacy.
“It appeared to be doing everything that Western nations ask of societies that seek to be good citizens of the world,” he said.
Separately, Somaliland officials renewed expectations that Ethiopia could become one of the next countries to formally recognize Somaliland’s statehood.
Presidential minister Khadar Hussein publicly thanked Ethiopia, Taiwan, Kenya and the UAE for maintaining close engagement with Somaliland and expressed hope that Addis Ababa would eventually move toward formal recognition.
Foreign Minister Abdirahman Dahir Adan similarly described Ethiopia, Taiwan and the UAE as among Somaliland’s closest international partners and said Somaliland expected those relationships to deepen following Israel’s recognition.
Somaliland, located in the Horn of Africa along the Gulf of Aden, has operated with its own government, currency, military and security institutions since restoring independence in 1991. Despite maintaining relative stability and conducting multiple democratic elections, it remains unrecognized by the United Nations and most sovereign states, with Israel currently standing as the only country to have formally recognized its independence.
