Foreign relations of Somaliland


Foreign relations of the Republic of Somaliland are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Somaliland. The region's self-declaration of independence remains unrecognised by the international community.
Due to its status, the Republic of Somaliland currently has official contacts with only a few nations, such as Ethiopia, which has signed a strategic and infrastructure agreement, and the UAE, which has signed a concession agreement to manage the Port of Berbera. International recognition as a sovereign state remains at the forefront of the government's current foreign policy. Other key priorities include encouraging international aid and foreign direct investment.
Most multilateral organisations and countries in the international community support the territorial integrity of Somalia and its central government, the Federal Government of Somalia during the ongoing civil war and oppose Somaliland's secession.
addressing the Somaliland Parliament, July 2011

International Relations

Somaliland has political contacts with neighboring Ethiopia and Djibouti, as well as with Belgium, France, Ghana, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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.
In 2002, Germany refused to recognize Somaliland as a precursor to establishing a military base in the region despite the fact that German naval ships already operated from Berbera. Instead, Germany established a naval base in nearby Djibouti. In September 2012, at the mini-summit on Somalia on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly, the German government re-affirmed its continued support for Somalia's government, territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Middle East

[United Arab Emirates]

In February 2017, both houses of the parliament of Somaliland accepted the bid from the government of the UAE for the Union Defence Force to establish a military base in Berbera along with the redevelopment of the Berbera Airport.

Israel

was one of 35 countries that recognised Somaliland's brief independence in 1960. However, it does not currently hold direct diplomatic ties with Somaliland. In February 2010, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yigal Palmor was quoted in the Haaretz Daily that his government was ready to recognize Somaliland again. Although, he stated that the Somaliland government has not contacted the Israeli government to seek ties.
In 1995, former President Egal of Somaliland also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin seeking to establish diplomatic ties between the two countries. In September 2001, it was also reported Somaliland was looking towards Tel Aviv after Saudi Arabia banned imports of livestock from the country due to Rift Valley fever. During this time several Israeli businessmen were also in the nation's capital Hargeisa. However, President Kahin who succeeded Egal is reported to have avoided approaching Israel to prevent straining fragile relations with the Arabs and Muslim world, which it heavily relies for its livestock trade.

Pakistan

In November 2009, a Pakistani delegation composed of Mr. Sheikh Mansoor Ahmed, Secretary General of the PPP of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ruling government; Mr. Shafiq Ahmed Qureshi, Peace Representative, former diplomat and Sr. Consular Officer; and Mr. Abdul Razak Dinnaari, an ambassador, visited Somaliland where they proposed to open a trade office of Somaliland in Pakistan.

Africa

In 2011, the foreign ministers of South Africa and Tanzania said that they would not recognise Somaliland and preferred that Somalia remained a single country. Although Somaliland is recognized as a de-facto state, it currently has no de-jure recognition from any internationally recognized country. In 2012, South Africa and Ethiopia again 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.
In late July 2019, Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi led a delegation to the Republic of Guinea at the invitation of President Alpha Conde.

Europe

United Kingdom

In April 2014, the Sheffield City Council in the United Kingdom voted to recognize the right to self-determination of Somaliland, the second British city council to do so, with Bristol being the first. The gesture however was purely ceremonial and carried no legal weight. On 26 March 2015, Cardiff City Council followed suit and later on 18 May 2015, the UK independence Party announced their support for the recognition of Somaliland. This was followed by the Conservative UK government's official opening of a British Office in Hargeisa, the capital of Somaliland, similar to the British Office in Taipei, Taiwan.
In January 2018, Somaliland gained attention from the Philippines, and later Timor-Leste, after it passed its first ever anti-rape law.

Asia

Somaliland currently has no diplomatic contacts with any non-Middle Eastern Asian country, except for talks with Taiwan. In July 2020, Somaliland announced it would mutually establish representative offices in Taiwan while the United Kingdom, Denmark and the Netherlands approved four agreements with government of Somaliland to improve critical infrastructure to support economic growth.

Foreign Minister

Dr. Yasin Haji Mohamud Hiir “Faratoon” serves as the Foreign Minister of Somaliland.

Diplomatic representative offices

Somaliland maintains representative 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:
The following foreign governments have diplomatic offices in Hargeisa:
  • – Consulate; headed by a diplomat with the rank of ambassador. It has an embassy in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital.
  • - Consulate; headed by a diplomat with the rank of consul general
  • - Consulate; headed by a diplomat with the rank of consul general
  • - Liaison office
  • - Programme office
  • Taiwan - Representative office
As of February 2010, the Yemeni government is reportedly planning to open a diplomatic office in Hargeisa.

Passports

Somaliland issues its own passports, recognized by certain nations. Once Somaliland achieves its goal of recognition, a number countries have stated that they will allow Somalilanders to travel to their countries, subject to visa regulations.

Organisational membership

Somaliland is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization.