Foreign relations of Somaliland

Somaliland
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Somaliland
Constitution Provisional Constitution
Government Government President Ahmed Mahamoud Silanyo Vice-President Abdirahman Saylici Council of Ministers
Legislative Parliament House of Elders Chairman: Suleiman Mahmud Adam House of Representatives Speaker: Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi
Judiciary Judiciary of Somaliland
Elections Presidential: 2010 2017 Parliamentary: 2005 2017 Political parties Politicians
Foreign relations UNPO Puntland–Somaliland dispute List of representative offices of Somaliland List of diplomatic missions in Somaliland
Other Political parties Passport
Somaliland portal Other countries Atlas

Foreign relations of the Republic of Somaliland are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.^[1] The Republic of Somaliland is a self-declared independent republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. The region's self-declared independence remains unrecognised by the international community.^[2][3]

Due to its status, the Republic of Somaliland currently has no official contacts with any nation. International recognition as a sovereign, stable state, remains at the forefront of the government's current foreign policy. Other key priorities are encouraging international aid and foreign investment.

The position of the international community is to support Somalia's central government, territorial integrity and sovereignty.^[4]

Overview

Somaliland has political contacts with its neighbours Ethiopia^[5] and Djibouti,^[6] as well as with Belgium,^[5] France,^[7] Ghana,^[5] South Africa,^[5] Sweden,^[5][8] the United Kingdom,^[5][9] and the United States.^[10]

In 2007, a delegation led by President Kahin was present at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, Uganda. Although Somaliland has applied to join the Commonwealth under observer status, its application is still pending.^[11]

In 2002, Germany refused to recognize Somaliland as a precursor in establishing a military base in the region. It instead established a naval base in Djibouti.^[12] German naval ships already operated from Berbera.^[13] In September 2012, at the mini-summit on Somalia on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, the German government also re-affirmed its continued support for Somalia's government, territorial integrity and sovereignty.^[4]

In February 2010, there were rumours that Israel might recognise Somaliland, and Israel is still interesting to maintain a diplomatic relationship with Somaliland.^[14][15] The rumours turned out to be wrong.^[16] Additionally, there was an arms smuggling affair involving Somaliland and an Israeli arms dealer.^[16]

In 2011, the foreign ministers of South Africa and Tanzania said that they were not ready to recognise Somaliland and that they preferred to see Somalia remain as a single country.^[17] In 2012, South Africa and Ethiopia also re-affirmed their continued support for Somalia's government, territorial integrity and sovereignty at the mini-summit on Somalia in New York on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly.^[4]

In April 2014, the Sheffield City Council in the United Kingdom voted to recognize the right to self-determination of Somaliland, the first city council to do so. The gesture was purely ceremonial and carried no legal weight.^[18] On 26 March 2015, Cardiff City Council followed suit.^[19] On 18 May 2015, the UK independence Party, a major British political party with legislative representation, commemorated Somaliland's Independence Day and announced support for international recognition.^[20] Nevertheless, the Conservative UK government officially recognize Somaliland as an autonomous region of Somalia.

Foreign Minister

As of October 2015, Saad Ali Shire, the previous Planning minister, is the Foreign Minister of Somaliland.^[21]

Diplomatic Representative Offices

Somaliland maintains representative (liaison) offices in several countries, but these missions do not have formal diplomatic status under the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Such offices exist in the following cities:

• Addis Ababa ^[22]
• Djibouti ^[22]
• London ^[22]
• Paris^[23]
• Pretoria^[24]
• Stockholm^[25]
• Turin ^[22]
• Washington D.C. ^[22]

The following foreign governments have diplomatic offices in Hargeisa:

•  Ethiopia – consulate; headed by a diplomat with the rank of ambassador.^[26][27][28] It has an embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.^[29]

As of February 2010, the Yemeni government is reportedly planning to open a diplomatic office in Hargeisa.^[30][31] In October 2012, Denmark has launched a diplomatic office in Hargeisa, Somaliland

Border disputes

Somaliland is in dispute over control of the Sool, Sanaag and Cayn (SSC) regions with the autonomous Puntland and Khatumo State regional administrations (formerly HBM-SSC or Hoggaanka Badbaadada iyo Mideynta SSC^[32]). The inhabitants of these areas predominantly belong to the same Harti clan that constitutes a majority of Puntland's residents.

Additionally, control of the Awdal province is disputed between Somaliland and the AwdalState administration. That dispute is only on media game due to the fact thal AwdalState does not have enough support from elite in that region.

Somaliland's leaders have also distanced themselves from the Federal Government of Somalia, which they see as a threat to their self-declared independence.

Passports

Somaliland issues its own passports.^[33]

Organisational membership

Somaliland is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO).^[14]

See also

• List of diplomatic missions of Somaliland
• List of diplomatic missions in Somaliland
• Foreign relations of Somalia

References