Somaliland President Irro Calls for Reassessment of Recognition Debate in Sky News Arabia Interview.
Horn Post | Politics & Diplomacy
HARGEISA – (Horn post) Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro) has called on the international community to re-examine the historical context of Somaliland’s political status, arguing that misunderstandings of Somali history continue to shape global perceptions of the Somaliland–Somalia question.
Speaking in an interview with Sky News Arabia, President Irro addressed a range of political and historical issues, including Somali unity, international recognition, and what he described as inconsistencies in how the principle of unity is applied to Somaliland.
Silence and recognition
Addressing the issue of international recognition, President Irro said that while Somaliland remains unrecognized by most countries, global opposition to its claim is limited.
“To recognize Somaliland, I think many of those who officially reject it are very few compared to the 193 countries in the United Nations,” he said. “Most of the world is silent, and even those who have rejected it, we believe they misunderstood the history of Somaliland. We expect them to reconsider.”
He added that international opinion generally favors unity over separation, noting what he described as a contradiction in Somalia’s current political position.
“The prevailing idea globally is always in favor of union and unity,” he said. “Today, Somalia is perhaps taking a position that goes against the global mood, as it demands separation in this particular case.”
Question of diplomacy
Asked whether Somaliland has done enough diplomatically to explain its position, particularly given what he described as international silence, President Irro acknowledged that conveying Somaliland’s narrative remains an ongoing challenge.
The Sky News interviewer questioned whether the lack of clear international support reflected shortcomings in Somaliland’s diplomatic outreach or in communicating the “correct understanding” of the issue.
Historical background
President Irro traced the roots of the dispute to the colonial partition of Somali-speaking territories by European powers. He said Somali-inhabited areas were divided into five parts during the colonial era, including British Somaliland, Italian Somaliland, French Somaliland, as well as regions incorporated into Ethiopia and Kenya.
“Somali-speaking territories were divided into five by European powers,” he said. “Somaliland was British Somaliland, Somalia was Italian Somaliland, one part went to Ethiopia, and another to Kenya.”
He argued that Somaliland played a central role in the push for Somali unity, noting that it was Somaliland that first gained independence in June 1960 and then voluntarily united with Somalia in pursuit of the broader vision of uniting all Somali territories under one flag.
“Somaliland was the fairest of the five parties. It became independent first, and instead of keeping its sovereignty, it chose unity,” he said.
Breakdown of the union
According to President Irro, the decision to withdraw from the union came after violence and political grievances experienced by Somaliland during the years that followed.
“Because of the incidents and the killings that happened against Somaliland, it decided to stay away from the union,” he said, adding that many in the international community do not fully understand this historical experience.
He questioned why, if unity is the guiding principle, it is applied selectively.
“If the will of Somalis is to unite, then they have to unite all of them,” he said. “Why make an exception only for Somaliland and Somalia?”
Ongoing debate
The interview reflects the continued divergence between Somaliland’s narrative, which emphasizes historical sovereignty and voluntary union, and Somalia’s position, which maintains the country’s territorial unity. While Somaliland continues to seek international recognition, the issue remains unresolved within global diplomatic and legal frameworks.
Prepared by:
Horn post staff reporter
Hargeisa Somaliland
