This possibility of Somaliland being recognized as a new nation in Africa by the United States is intriguing for global politics but also because of the possibility of opening up the region to freedom of religion. Please read, and please pray for God’s will and purpose for Somaliland.
British Somaliland made a decision in 1960 that they were soon to regret. After gaining independence, they joined forces with the newly freed Italian Somaliland in the south forming the Republic of Somalia. This history is important for the advance of the gospel in Africa!
“During the late 19th century, Somalia became a focal point of European colonial ambitions, leading to its partition among various powers. The British established control over the northern region, known as British Somaliland, while the Italians took control of southern Somalia, forming Italian Somaliland. To the northwest, the French colonized what is now Djibouti. The Ottoman Empire also maintained a presence along Somalia’s coastal areas during this period. Despite the division, Somali resistance to colonial rule was fierce, exemplified by figures like Sayid Mohamed Abdullah Hassan, who led a protracted 20-year struggle against British and Italian forces.
The drive for independence gained momentum in the mid-20th century. In 1960, British Somaliland gained independence on June 26, followed shortly by Italian Somaliland on July 1. These two territories united to form the Somali Republic. The new nation embarked on a Pan-Somalism movement, aiming to unify all Somali-inhabited territories, including parts of neighboring Ethiopia, Kenya, and Djibouti.
Somalia’s descent into civil war and state collapse began in 1991 with the overthrow of the military regime led by Siad Barre, who had ruled since 1969. Following his ousting, the country plunged into chaos as clan-based militias and warlords vied for power, leading to the disintegration of central authority. The absence of a functioning government exacerbated violence, lawlessness, and humanitarian crises, including famine and mass displacement. Efforts by international forces, such as United Nations peacekeeping missions and U.S. military interventions, were largely unsuccessful and culminated in high-profile incidents like the 1993 “Black Hawk Down” event in Mogadishu. Amid the turmoil, regions like Somaliland declared independence in 1991, while Puntland established autonomy in 1998, though both sought different paths to stability. Meanwhile, extremist groups like Al-Shabaab emerged, further destabilizing the country. The prolonged conflict devastated Somalia’s infrastructure, economy, and social fabric, leaving a legacy of fragmentation and suffering that continues to shape the nation’s recovery efforts today.”
Against this backdrop, Semifor Africa, an online journal carried this headline in a December 10th article written by Yinka Adegoke: A Trump White House looks set to recognize the world’s newest country. He writes,
“Somaliland, a self-governing region within Somalia, will be much closer to being recognized by the United States as the world’s newest country when Donald Trump returns to the White House in January.
“Last month the territory held its sixth successful election since reclaiming independence from Somalia in 1991, bringing opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi to office as president. Republicans and other supporters have been encouraged by Somaliland’s democratic strides with a one-person, one-vote system even as conflict-ridden Somalia struggles to organize any elections.
“Peter Pham, a former Africa envoy in Trump’s first term, said Somaliland’s democratic process had “demonstrated its attractiveness as a partner for the United States and other countries.”
“Somalilanders who spoke with Semafor Africa from the capital Hargeisa soon after the Nov.13 election said they were confident Trump’s return to the White House will boost their aspirations for independence. “We have a golden opportunity to be closer if not for full recognition but much closer engagement with the US,” said Bashir Goth, who heads the Somaliland mission in Washington DC.”
This possibility is intriguing for global politics but also because of the possibility of opening up the region to freedom of religion. It remains to be seen if this area of the world, one of the least reached from a Christian perspective, would grant freedom of religion and allow churches to operate freely within the new country.
In 2007, I was privileged to travel with some brothers from South Africa to Somaliland. We traveled through the country from Hargasia to the Gulf of Aden. It was an eye-opening trip. While in the country, we had the opportunity to meet the Vice-President of the self-declared country and be present when the President returned from an international trip. There is much need, and I look forward to a growing opportunity for Christian participation in a free Somaliland.
We should pray for wisdom and God’s will to be done in the issue of Somaliland. I, for one, pray that this region is accepted as the world’s newest country.
Pray for Somaliland.
https://zambiahunt.com/2025/01/02/nationhood-for-somaliland/