Foreign Relations of Somaliland - Overview and History

Overview and History

Somaliland has political contacts with its neighbours Ethiopia, and Djibouti, as well as with Belgium, France, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States. On 17 January 2007, the European Union sent a delegation for foreign affairs to discuss future cooperation. The African Union has also sent a foreign minister to discuss the future of international acknowledgment, and on January 29 and 30, 2007, the ministers stated that they would discuss acknowledgement with the organisation's member states In June 2007, Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi held a conference with Somaliland's President Kahin, during which he was referred to in an official communique by the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry as the President of Somaliland, the first time that Somaliland has been officially referred to as a sovereign state by a foreign government. While this is not claimed as a move to official recognition by Ethiopia, it is seen as a possible step toward a unilateral declaration by Ethiopia in the event of the African Union failing to move its recognition of Somaliland forward.

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.

On November 27, 2007, Annemie Neyts-Uyttebroeck of the ELDR, one of three main parties in the European Union, mailed a letter to Javier Solana (the High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy and the Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union), and to President Kahin of Somaliland, which called upon the EU to recognise Somaliland. In December 2007, the United States government discussed whether to back the shaky transitional government in Mogadishu or to acknowledge and support the less volatile Somaliland secessionists.

In early 2006, the National Assembly of Wales extended an official invitation to the Somaliland government to attend the royal opening of the Senedd in Cardiff. The move was seen as an act of recognition by the Welsh Assembly of the breakaway government's legitimacy. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office made no comment on the invitation. Wales is home to a significant Somaliland expat community.

In 2002 Germany considered recognising Somaliland and establishing a military base in the country. They did not do so and the naval base was established in Djibouti. German naval ships already operated from Berbera.

In February 2010, there were rumours that Israel might recognise Somaliland. The rumours turned out wrong. Additionally, there was an arms smuggling affair involving Somaliland and an Israeli arms dealer.