Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro has accused Türkiye and Egypt of conducting campaigns against the recognition of Somaliland as an independent state. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Irro claimed that several governments, including Türkiye and Egypt, are using diplomatic pressure to discourage African countries from establishing formal ties with Somaliland. He did not provide evidence to support these claims.
According to Irro, Türkiye has been actively engaging with African countries to dissuade them from recognizing Somaliland. He stated that Ankara has been meeting with African presidents to discourage them from establishing formal ties with Somaliland. Türkiye has publicly backed Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting Israel's recognition of Somaliland in December 2025.
Egypt is also accused of opposing Somaliland's recognition campaign. Egypt was among several governments that rejected Israel's decision to recognize Somaliland, reaffirming their support for Somalia's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Irro argued that such diplomatic pressure has caused some governments that might have considered recognizing Somaliland to hold back.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has since maintained its own government, security forces, currency, and political institutions. However, Somalia's federal government continues to regard Somaliland as part of its sovereign territory. Despite this, Israel formally recognized Somaliland in December 2025, becoming the first U.N. member state to do so.
The recognition by Israel gave new momentum to Somaliland's long-running diplomatic campaign. However, it was rejected by Somalia and several regional governments. Irro expressed hope that the reality of Somaliland's existence will eventually emerge, and countries will independently make their own decisions regarding its recognition.
The issue of Somaliland's recognition is complex, with many countries yet to take a stance. While some countries have publicly backed Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, others have remained neutral or have not publicly commented on the issue. The African Union has not officially recognized Somaliland as an independent state.
Somaliland's recognition campaign faces significant challenges, with several governments opposing its recognition. Key points include:
Key points
- Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Irro accuses Türkiye and Egypt of lobbying against Somaliland's recognition.
- Türkiye and Egypt have publicly backed Somalia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting Israel's recognition of Somaliland.
- Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has maintained its own government, security forces, currency, and political institutions.
