Thousands of Somalilanders staged mass rally in Hargeisa to support the UAE after Somalia cancelled bilateral agreements. Demonstrators praised UAE-funded development, including DP World’s Berbera Port, and called on Abu Dhabi to recognize Somaliland following Israel’s recent recognition
HARGEISA, Somaliland — Thousands of Somalilanders flooded the streets of their capital on Thursday in a sweeping public show of support for the United Arab Emirates, hours after Somalia’s federal government announced it was annulling all agreements with Abu Dhabi on sovereignty grounds. The demonstrations, which stretched from late afternoon into the night, underscored both the depth of Somaliland’s political break with Mogadishu and the scale of public enthusiasm for a partnership many here say has delivered tangible economic gains.
By 4 p.m., crowds bearing UAE flags surged through major arteries of Hargeisa, chanting “UAE, we stand with you!” as convoys of cars blasted horns and youth groups hoisted banners praising the Emirates for “standing with Somaliland’s future.” As night fell, the city’s National Museum lit up in the red, green, white, and black of the UAE flag — a highly symbolic gesture timed to coincide with widening regional tensions.
“The UAE is our strongest partner and has proven it through real investment,” said Mohamed Ahmed, standing near a crowd clustered around Freedom Garden, one of the city’s central gathering points. “This turnout shows how much the people value that relationship. We are telling the world that Somaliland stands with its friends.”
The mass rally, which witnesses said remained peaceful and stretched into the late evening, came just days after Somalia’s cabinet moved to cancel all bilateral defense, security, and port agreements with the UAE. Mogadishu declared the deals “null and void,” including arrangements involving Bosaso in Puntland, Kismayo in Jubaland, and the DP World–operated port of Berbera in Somaliland.
Somaliland, which has governed itself for more than three decades and maintains its own institutions, dismissed the move as legally meaningless.
“Somalia has no authority to cancel agreements made by Somaliland,” a senior Somaliland government official told The Post on condition of anonymity. “They have never exercised sovereignty over Berbera or any part of Somaliland. Our partnerships — including with the UAE — remain fully valid under international commercial law.”
Berbera’s Transformation at the Heart of Public Sentiment
Much of Thursday’s fervor centered on Berbera Port, the flagship UAE-backed investment that many Somalilanders say has altered the country’s economic trajectory. The $442 million infrastructure program led by Dubai-based DP World has turned Berbera into one of the Horn of Africa’s fastest-growing trade and logistics hubs, linking the Red Sea coastline to Ethiopia via the Berbera–Wajaale corridor.
“The UAE’s role in our development is visible on the ground,” the senior official said. “This partnership is built on trust, long-term vision, and mutual benefit.”
DP World, in a statement this week, said its operations in Berbera were continuing without disruption despite political tensions between Somalia and the UAE.
“DP World remains focused on the safe, efficient operation of the port and on delivering trade facilitation and economic benefits for Somaliland and the wider Horn of Africa region,” the company said, declining to comment on “political decisions, intergovernmental discussions, or diplomatic positions.”
Tensions Heighten Across the Region
Somalia’s move to sever ties with Abu Dhabi follows weeks of rising friction stemming from unrelated tensions in Yemen, where Emirati-backed separatist forces swept through the south in a confrontation that alarmed Saudi Arabia. Riyadh has accused the UAE of undermining regional stability — an accusation Abu Dhabi denies — and Mogadishu has increasingly aligned itself with Saudi concerns.
In Hargeisa, however, demonstrators framed the UAE as a stabilizing partner — and Mogadishu’s actions as further evidence that Somalia no longer speaks for Somaliland.
“Somaliland has charted its own course for 34 years,” said rally organizer Hassan Ali, who oversaw logistics for Thursday’s demonstration. “We are calling on the UAE to stand with the will of the Somaliland people. Recognition would strengthen stability, democracy, and cooperation in the region.”
Israel’s Recognition Adds New Diplomatic Context
The rally also unfolded against the backdrop of a major diplomatic milestone: Israel’s decision on December 26, 2025, to formally recognize Somaliland as a sovereign state. Somaliland officials say UAE diplomacy played an indirect role in facilitating the breakthrough, though Abu Dhabi has not commented publicly.
The recognition, while sharply condemned by Somalia, has emboldened Somaliland’s leadership and energized its public diplomacy efforts, with senior officials repeatedly signaling they expect additional nations to follow.
Late Thursday, groups of young demonstrators marched toward the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, waving both Somaliland and UAE flags and chanting, “UAE next! UAE next!” Videos of the illuminated National Museum — draped in the Emirates’ colors — circulated widely on social media, receiving tens of thousands of shares within hours.
Somaliland’s Position: Stability and Strategic Alignment
Officials in Hargeisa emphasized that Somaliland’s foreign partnerships rest on “effective territorial control, democratic governance, and mutual consent,” positioning the self-governing republic as a reliable actor in a volatile region.
“Somaliland contributes positively to regional security and development,” the senior official said. “We welcome partnerships that respect our sovereignty and advance stability in the Horn of Africa.”
As crowds finally began to thin just after 9 p.m., groups of young people remained in downtown Hargeisa waving UAE flags and singing patriotic songs. For many, the day’s demonstration was not merely a political statement — but a declaration that Somaliland’s alliances are increasingly diverging from those of Mogadishu.
“This is about our future,” said Amina Jama, a 23-year-old university student. “We stand with the UAE because they stood with us. And we want the world to see that Somaliland is ready for full recognition.”
