Thursday July 11, 2024
FILE - Saeed Sulub Mohamed, Minister of Animal Husbandry and Rural Development of Somaliland, speaks during a press conference in Hargeisa, emphasizing the importance of protecting Somaliland’s sovereignty and rejecting calls for unity with Greater Somalia.
Hargeisa (HOL) — Somalilanders have been cautioned against yielding to calls for unity with Greater Somalia, a move seen as a threat to Somaliland's sovereignty and stability.
Saeed Sulub Mohamed, Minister of Animal Husbandry and Rural Development, issued this warning over the weekend. He emphasized that the idea of uniting with Greater Somalia is detrimental to Somaliland's interests and sovereignty.
"Somaliland must protect its sovereignty vigorously," Mohamed stated. "No one should take Somaliland for granted again."
The minister underscored that Somaliland, with its distinct constitution and laws, is a separate state and should not be treated as part of Somalia. He urged Somalia to respect this distinction and cease efforts to integrate Somaliland into a unified Somali state.
"Somalia should stop clinging to us. Somaliland is, and has always been, a different entity," Mohamed asserted.
Mohamed's remarks come amid ongoing tensions between Somaliland and Somalia. A preliminary agreement between Somaliland and Ethiopia has added to the pressure. The deal allows Ethiopia naval access to the Gulf of Aden through Somaliland's port. In exchange, Ethiopia has offered Somaliland stakes in its national airline and official recognition of independence.
The Ethiopia-Somaliland deal has heightened tensions in the already volatile Horn of Africa region. Somalia views Somaliland as part of its territory and opposes the deal, fearing it undermines its sovereignty and could embolden Al-Shabaab insurgents.
Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following a brutal civil war, but its sovereignty remains unrecognized internationally. Despite this, Somaliland has developed its own government and institutions, functioning separately from Somalia.
Somaliland's leadership views the port deal as a major step towards gaining international recognition. However, the agreement's details remain opaque, and Ethiopian and Somaliland officials offer different interpretations, particularly regarding the extent of military and commercial activities allowed under the deal.
Mohamed appealed to all Somalilanders, regardless of age or background, to defend their nationhood.
"We must not be swayed again by the dream of Greater Somalia in the name of 'Somali-ness,'" Mohamed said. "Our past experiences should serve as a lesson and a warning."