In a groundbreaking announcement, the Foreign Minister of Somaliland, Dr. Essa Kayd Mohamud, declared that the country has withdrawn its recognition of Somalia as a sovereign entity.
During an exclusive interview with Sharmake Ali (@Maydhalaalis), Dr. Mohamud emphasized that Somaliland no longer considers the entity operating out of Halane (the Federal Government of Somalia) as a legitimate state.
“Somaliland government no longer recognizes Somalia as a country nor sees it as a state,” the minister asserted. He explained that recognition is inherently mutual and bilateral, and since Somalia has consistently refused to recognize Somaliland’s independence, Somaliland has no obligation to acknowledge Somalia’s existence.
The Foreign Minister also provided an update on the ongoing negotiations with Ethiopia. He revealed that substantial progress has been made on the technical aspects of a deal and that the next phase involving the refinement of agreement details is set to commence shortly.
Furthermore, Dr. Mohamud disclosed that he is currently in the United States to advocate for increased international support for Somaliland’s recognition. He is seeking to persuade other nations to follow Ethiopia’s lead in re-recognizing Somaliland.
Somalia’s Plans to Amend its Provisional Constitution: Dr. Mohamud expressed concern over Somalia’s proposed constitutional amendments, which he believes could undermine Somaliland’s sovereignty.
Somalia’s Attempt to Hijack Somaliland’s Independence Day: The minister condemned Somalia’s efforts to claim the 26th of June as its own Independence Day, dismissing it as a blatant attempt to erase Somaliland’s historical significance.
Djibouti’s Obstruction of Somaliland-Ethiopia MoU: Dr. Mohamud denounced Djibouti’s interference in the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding between Somaliland and Ethiopia, accusing Djibouti of seeking to sabotage the agreement.
However, Somaliland’s decision to withdraw recognition of Somalia is a significant development with far-reaching implications. It underscores Somaliland’s determination to pursue its own path to international recognition and statehood. The Foreign Minister’s diplomatic efforts and the ongoing negotiations with Ethiopia represent important steps towards achieving this goal.