“After 35 years, only one country, Israel, has seen us and said: ‘You are visible to us. You exist. We will recognize you.’ President Irro
M.A. Egge
In a fiery address at the Waddani Congress, Republic of Somaliland President H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi (Irro) delivered a blunt rebuke to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and Arab League nations, declaring that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland’s independence outweighs decades of silence from the Muslim world.
Speaking passionately about Somaliland’s 35-year quest for international legitimacy since its 1991 reclamation of independence, President Irro placed national interest above religious double standards.
“Our foreign policy, just as Americans say ‘America First,’ is Somaliland First,” he stated. “We are devoted Muslims, one hundred percent. We are strict in our religion and conservative in our culture. We have nations who are our Muslim brothers… they knew of our plight. Yet they do not show us any compassion on the basis of Islam or brotherhood.”
The president highlighted the stark contrast in treatment: while Muslim countries and organizations have refused to recognize Somaliland, Israel has extended formal recognition.
“After 35 years, only one country, Israel, has seen us and said: ‘You are visible to us. You exist. We will recognize you.’ Are we friends with that country, or are we friends with the 57 Muslim countries that reject our existence and say, ‘We do not see you’? Of course, we are friends with the country that saw us. Their religion is their business.”
President Irro emphasized the diplomatic principle of reciprocity, noting Somaliland’s decision to recognize Israel in return and open an embassy in Jerusalem despite strong opposition from Muslim nations.
“When Israel recognized us, all the Muslim countries opposed it… I appointed an ambassador. They said, ‘We do not accept the sending an ambassador to Israel.’ I opened an embassy in Jerusalem. They said they do not accept that either,” he recounted.
Directly addressing key Muslim leaders, the president issued an emotional appeal mixed with frustration:
“I ask you: what do they want? … Brothers, we need you. We love you. You are our brothers. See us. If you do acknowledge our existence, then leave us alone. Do not oppose a country that recognizes us. We do not hate you. We love you. We see you, and we do not deny your existence. Why do you deny us our’s? We exist. We are a reality that nobody can erase.”
The speech underscores Somaliland’s pragmatic “Somaliland First” doctrine as it navigates isolation, prioritizing functional partnerships over ideological or religious alignment. Israel’s recognition marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough for the nation, which maintains relative stability and democratic governance compared to neighboring Somalia but remains unrecognized by the United Nations and most countries.
President Irro’s remarks are likely to spark debate across the Horn of Africa and the broader Muslim world, highlighting tensions between pan-Islamic solidarity and the practical realities of statehood and reciprocity in international relations.