“Somaliland was the mother that gave birth to Somali statehood.” H.E. Irro
Mohamoud Walaaleye
In a bold and unapologetic address at a prestigious World Economic Forum sideline event in Davos, Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro declared that the Republic of Somaliland is “the newest country in the world” and publicly thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for granting it recognition.
Speaking before an audience of global leaders, business tycoons, and policymakers, President Irro did not mince words. “Somaliland is a new state that has joined the family of nations,” he said, directly crediting Netanyahu’s “courage” for making the historic move a reality.
The president used the high-profile platform to deliver a sweeping historical reminder: Somaliland became independent from Britain on 26 June 1960—five full days before Somalia itself achieved independence on 1 July 1960. “In truth,” he told the room, “Somaliland was the mother that gave birth to Somali statehood.”
He recounted the dream of a unified “Greater Somalia” that once aimed to unite Somali-inhabited territories across Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Horn, before explaining how that vision collapsed. In 1991, after a devastating war that claimed over 200,000 lives in Somaliland, we reclaimed our independence and have since maintained uninterrupted peace, multi-party democracy, and functional governance for 34 years—“stable, democratic, peaceful, and ready for business,” as Irro emphasized.
The president singled out Israel’s diplomatic support during the darkest days, noting that an Israeli ambassador had raised the humanitarian crisis at the UN Security Council. He expressed deep gratitude to that ambassador, the State of Israel, President Isaac Herzog and his wife, Eric Trump, the Davos organizers, and “all the businesspeople and politicians in this hall.”
In his most direct appeal of the speech, Irro urged every leader present: “I hope that everyone sitting at this table and in this meeting will support the recognition of Somaliland.”
The remarks mark one of the clearest and most public endorsements yet of Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland, positioning the Republic of Somaliland firmly on the global stage and challenging the international community to follow Israel’s lead