from SAAD MUSE in Mogadishu, Somalia
Somalia Bureau
MOGADISHU, (CAJ News) – DIPLOMATIC tensions rose at the United Nations this week after a contentious Security Council meeting in which the United States dismissed calls for emergency deliberations over reported diplomatic engagement with Somaliland, a self-declared state in the Horn of Africa.
Speaking before the Council, the US delegation argued that the session diverted attention from urgent global security crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and the Horn of Africa.
Washington reiterated that there had been no change in its long-standing policy supporting Somalia’s territorial integrity.
However, the debate triggered strong reactions across Africa and beyond, particularly following reports of Israel’s outreach to Somaliland. The African Union issued a sharp rebuke, warning against actions that could destabilize the continent.
“The African Union unequivocally rejects any attempt by external actors to recognize Somaliland outside the framework of Somalia’s sovereignty,” an AU spokesperson said, stressing that Africa’s borders must not be redrawn through unilateral decisions.
China and Russia also weighed in, cautioning against what they described as Western interference in African affairs.
“Any move by the United States or its allies to recognize Somaliland would violate international law and undermine regional stability,” China’s Permanent Representative said. Russia echoed that position, adding that “selective application of self-determination principles only deepens global mistrust and weakens multilateral institutions.”
From an African perspective, Somaliland’s status remains rooted in a complex colonial legacy. The territory was administered separately as British Somaliland until 1960, when it gained independence and voluntarily united with Italian-administered Somalia.
The union, however, proved fragile. Political marginalization, repression under the Siad Barre regime, and devastating conflict led Somaliland’s leaders to declare independence in 1991 following the collapse of the Somali state.
Despite maintaining relative peace and building its own governing institutions, Somaliland has never been internationally recognized, largely due to Africa’s post-independence consensus to preserve colonial-era borders, a principle championed by the African Union to prevent widespread secessionist conflicts.
As global powers trade accusations at the UN, African leaders continue to insist that the future of Somaliland must be resolved through dialogue among Somalis themselves, free from external pressure or geopolitical maneuvering.
– CAJ News