Former Somaliland Foreign Minister Edna Adan Ismail argues that Somaliland’s sovereignty is not for sale and is rooted in history, stability, democracy, and self-reliance, rejecting renewed calls for reunification with Somalia
HARGEISA, Somaliland — For more than three decades, Somaliland’s leaders have faced a recurring diplomatic question: Would they reconsider their declaration of independence and return to a political union with Somalia?
According to former Somaliland Foreign Minister Edna Adan Ismail, the answer from every administration since 1991 has remained consistent: Somaliland’s sovereignty is not negotiable.
In a forceful essay examining Somaliland’s political journey, Adan argues that successive presidents — from Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal to Dahir Rayale Kahin, Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud “Sillanyo,” Muse Bihi Abdi, and current President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdilahi “Irro” — have rejected financial incentives, political pressure, and diplomatic proposals aimed at reversing Somaliland’s separate path.
“They were elected to protect the territorial integrity of Somaliland,” Adan wrote. “Somaliland’s independence, dignity, and nationhood are not for sale at any cost.”
Her comments come amid continued international debate over Somaliland’s status, its pursuit of recognition, and proposals from foreign governments and diplomats encouraging renewed dialogue between Hargeisa and Mogadishu.
A Failed Union and Decades of Unresolved Disputes
Somaliland gained independence from Britain in June 1960 before voluntarily entering a union with Somalia later that year. The relationship deteriorated over decades amid political marginalization, authoritarian rule, and conflict.
In 1991, following the collapse of Somalia’s central government and the devastating civil war, Somaliland declared the restoration of its independence. Since then, it has developed its own political institutions, security structures, currency, and democratic system, while remaining internationally unrecognized.
Adan argues that many foreign diplomats misunderstand the historical context behind Somaliland’s decision.
“Every new diplomat posted to the region arrives believing he has discovered a ‘new solution’ that no one else has ever imagined,” she wrote.
She criticized what she described as a pattern of incomplete understanding among international officials who repeatedly recommend negotiations between Somaliland and Somalia without fully examining the history of the failed union.
“Since 2012, more than ten rounds of formal talks have already taken place in world capitals, witnessed by international media, and concluded with signed agreements which Somalia failed to honour even one of those agreements,” Adan wrote.
Somaliland’s Stability Versus Somalia’s Fragility
A central argument in Adan’s essay is that Somaliland’s political identity has been built around self-reliance and internal reconciliation, while Somalia continues to struggle with insecurity and institutional weakness.
“For the past 35 years that Somaliland had been separated from Somalia, Somaliland has maintained peace, democracy, and rule of law without foreign troops, without international subsidies, and without foreign forces to keep the peace,” she wrote.
She highlighted examples of everyday security and economic activity in Somaliland, including open commercial markets and functioning financial systems, as evidence of social stability.
“In Somaliland, women sell 21-carat gold openly in the markets. Money changers operate without fear,” she wrote. “Security is upheld by the people themselves through collective civic responsibility.”
By contrast, she argued that Somalia’s dependence on international security assistance has prevented deeper institutional reforms.
“Somalia has 40,000 African peace-keeping forces, relies on external funding to pay its parliament, ministries, and security forces,” Adan wrote.
She claimed that instability has become embedded in Somalia’s political system, arguing that some leaders benefit from continued international dependency.
“Lawlessness has become its most profitable industry,” she wrote.
Questioning the International Approach
Adan’s criticism extends beyond Somalia’s federal government to the broader international community’s approach toward the Horn of Africa.
She questioned why foreign actors continue advocating a political arrangement that Somaliland’s population rejected after decades of experience.
“The question is not why Somaliland refuses reunification with Somalia,” she wrote. “The real question is: Why do outsiders continue proposing a union that has already failed, already collapsed, and already proven impossible?”
She argued that Somaliland’s position is based not on emotion but on historical experience and the preferences of its citizens.
“Somaliland’s position is not emotional, nor is it negotiable,” Adan wrote. “It is grounded in history, experience, and the lived reality of its people.”
A Legacy of Public Service
Edna Adan Ismail is among the most prominent figures in Somaliland and the wider Horn of Africa. A former foreign minister, healthcare pioneer, and women’s rights advocate, she founded the Edna Adan University Hospital, which has become a leading healthcare and training institution in the region.
Her career has focused on maternal health, peacebuilding, education, and diplomacy. She has received numerous international honors, including the French Légion d’honneur, the Renfield Foundation Award for Global Women’s Health, honorary doctorates from institutions in the United States and United Kingdom, and recognition for humanitarian and peace efforts.
“Our Nationhood Is Not for Sale”
As Somaliland continues its campaign for international recognition, Adan argues that the country’s future should be determined by its own citizens rather than external proposals.
“The world may continue to misunderstand this,” she wrote. “Diplomats may continue to arrive with recycled ideas dressed as new insights,” she wrote.
“But Somaliland’s answer remains unchanged: our nationhood is not for sale, and our future will not be dictated by those who do not understand our past.”
