A member of the Republic of Somaliland’s parliament has formally written to Elon Musk, calling on X to recognize Somaliland as a separate country in its identity verification and country selection systems.
In an official letter dated 11 April 2026, Hon. Abdilahi Mohamed Ahmed (Gacmadhere), a Member of Parliament serving on the Committee on Internal Affairs, Security, and Defense, highlighted the frustration faced by Somalilanders who are currently required to select “Somalia” when creating or verifying accounts on the platform.
The MP wrote: Dear Elon Musk,
I am writing on behalf of the citizens of Somaliland, who use X daily. Our presence on the platform continues to grow rapidly. However, we face a significant barrier: Somaliland is not recognized as a separate country in the X identity verification system.
Somaliland users must select Somalia, which does not reflect our identity. Somaliland has been independent, democratic, and stable for over three decades. This exclusion creates obstacles for Somalilanders, blocking account verification and limiting full use of X for personal, business, journalistic, or civic needs. Somaliland has one of the most active X communities in East Africa.
Citizens use X to connect globally, promote trade, and amplify Democratic principles including freedom of speech. We respectfully urge you to take immediate action to ensure fairness and digital inclusion by adding the Republic of Somaliland as a supported country in the X identity verification system.
We are ready to actively collaborate with your team to facilitate and expedite this process. Recognizing Somaliland in this esteemed platform would empower citizens and show X’s commitment to access and real communities. We look forward to your prompt and favorable response.
Please let us know the steps required, and we will support this important update however we can. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
The MP emphasized that Somalilanders deserve to be acknowledged by their own national identity, arguing that the current arrangement undermines digital inclusion and equal participation on the platform.
Republic of Somaliland has functioned as a self-governing, democratic entity since reclaiming its independence in 1991, maintaining its own government, currency, military, and institutions. In December 2025, Israel became the first country to grant Somaliland formal diplomatic recognition as a sovereign and independent state.
Despite this milestone, Somaliland continues to lack broad international recognition, which often results in digital platforms defaulting to Somalia in country lists and verification options.
The appeal has sparked lively discussion on X, with many users debating questions of national identity, fairness in digital spaces, and the role of social media platforms in reflecting de facto realities on the ground.
As of now, X has not issued an official response to the letter.