Foreign relations of Somaliland

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Somaliland

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Somaliland

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Foreign relations of Somaliland are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[1] Somaliland is a de facto independent state,[2] which is regarded by all foreign governments as part of Somalia. The country's self-declared independence remains unrecognised by the international community.[3][4]

Due to its status, the Republic of Somaliland currently has no official contacts with any nation. International recognition as a sovereign, stable state, remains at the forefront of the government's current foreign policy. Other key priorities are encouraging international aid and foreign investment.[5]

The position of the Arab League, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and United Nations and the African Union favouring the preservation of existing national borders has so far prevented recognition of Somaliland's sovereignty. An African Union fact-finding mission that visited Somaliland in early 2005 recently published a report that recommended favourable consideration for recognising Somaliland's independence.[6][7]

Contents

[edit] Overview and history

Somaliland has political contacts with its neighbours Ethiopia,[8][9] and Djibouti,[10] as well as with Belgium,[9] France,[11] Ghana,[9] Kenya,[12] South Africa,[9] Sweden,[9][13] and the United Kingdom.[9][14] On 17 January 2007, the European Union sent a delegation for foreign affairs to discuss future cooperation.[15] 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[16] 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.[9]

Foreign relation of Somaliland
  diplomatic relations and recognition (none)
  diplomatic recognition (none)

  consulate level representation in Somaliland without diplomatic relations and recognition[17]
  official representation in Somaliland (none)

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.[18]

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.[19] 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.[20]

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.[21]

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.[22][23][24] German naval ships already operated from Berbera.[22]

In February 2010, there were rumours that Israel might recognise Somaliland.[25][26] The rumours turned out wrong.[27] Additionally, there was an arms smuggling affair involving Somaliland and an Israeli arms dealer.[27]

[edit] Foreign Minister

Dr. Mohamed A. Omar is the Foreign Minister of Somaliland.[1]

[edit] Diplomatic Representative Offices

Further information: List of diplomatic missions of Somaliland and List of diplomatic missions in Somaliland

Somaliland maintains representative (liaison) 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:

As of February 2010, the Yemeni government is reportedly planning to open a diplomatic office in Hargeisa.[36] In October 2010, Yemeni officials and the Puntland administration also agreed to establish a similar consulate and commercial office in the Puntland region.[37]

[edit] Disputes

Somaliland is in dispute with an autonomous region of Somalia, neighbouring Puntland, over the Sanaag and Sool areas, some of whose inhabitants have allegiances to Puntland.

Somaliland's leaders have distanced themselves from Somalia's central Transitional Federal Government, which they see as a threat to their independence.

[edit] Organisational membership

Somaliland is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO).[25]

[edit] Passports

Somaliland issues its own passports,[38] which are not recognised by any country, although neighbouring states Djibouti and Ethiopia accept them as unofficial travel documents.[3]

[edit] References

 This article uses bare URLs for citations. Please consider adding full citations so that the article remains verifiable. Several templates and the Reflinks tool are available to assist in formatting. (Reflinks documentation) (September 2011)
  1. ^ a b Council of Ministers. Government of Somaliland.
  2. ^ No Winner Seen in Somalia's Battle With Chaos The New York Times, (2 June 2009).
  3. ^ a b Lacey, Marc (5 June 2006). The Signs Say Somaliland, but the World Says Somalia. The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  4. ^ UN in Action: Reforming Somaliland's Judiciary
  5. ^ Chinese delegation returns to Somaliland for investment. Somaliland Press (26 April 2010). Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  6. ^ "Somaliland: AU Mission to Somaliland Says Recognition Overdue". UNPO. 2006-03-01. http://www.unpo.org/news_detail.php?arg=60&par=3867. [dead link]
  7. ^ "AU supports Somali split". Mail & Guardian. 2006-02-10. http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=263915&area=/insight/insight__africa/. [dead link]
  8. ^ "Ethiopia Appoints New Representative to Somaliland, Upgrades Its Office". Somaliland Press. 2009-10-30. http://somalilandpress.com/9356/ethiopia-appoints-new-representative-to-somaliland-upgrades-the-office/. Retrieved 2010-02-04. [dead link]
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "Somaliland closer to recognition by Ethiopia". Afrol News. http://www.afrol.com/articles/25633. Retrieved 2007-07-06. 
  10. ^ "Somaliland, Djibouti in bitter port feud". afrol News. http://www.afrol.com/articles/23556. Retrieved 2007-07-22. 
  11. ^ "France recognizes de facto Somaliland". Les Nouvelles d'Addis. 2008-04-08. http://www.lesnouvelles.org/P10_magazine/15_grandentretien/15055_mahamudsalahnur_eng.html. Retrieved 2010-02-04. 
  12. ^ "Kenyan Deputy Speaker addresses Somaliland parliament". Somaliland Press. 2009-12-24. http://somalilandpress.com/10344/kenyan-deputy-speaker-addresses-somaliland-parliament/. Retrieved 2010-01-02. [dead link]
  13. ^ "Somaliland Diplomatic Mission in Sweden". http://www.somalilandembassy.se/. Retrieved 2010-04-02. 
  14. ^ "Somaliland". United Kingdom Parliament. 2004-02-04. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200304/cmhansrd/vo040204/halltext/40204h03.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-23. 
  15. ^ "EU Breaks Ice on Financing Somaliland". Global Policy Forum. 2003-02-11. http://www.globalpolicy.org/component/content/article/168/29775.html. Retrieved 2007-02-23. 
  16. ^ "AU supports Somali split". Mail and Guardian Online. 2006-02-10. http://www.mg.co.za/article/2006-02-10-au-supports-somali-split. Retrieved 2007-02-23. 
  17. ^ FBI investigates Somalis in Minneapolis
  18. ^ "Somaliland on verge of observer status in the Commonwealth". Qaran News. 2009-11-16. http://www.qarannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6381&Itemid=59. Retrieved 2010-02-02. 
  19. ^ "Conditional Recognition Sought For Somaliland By EU Party". The Somaliland Times. 2007-12-01. http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2007/306/027.shtml. Retrieved 2010-02-02. 
  20. ^ "U.S. Debating Shift of Support in Somali Conflict". The Somaliland Times. 2007-12-03. http://www.somalilandtimes.net/sl/2007/307/027.shtml. Retrieved 2010-02-02. 
  21. ^ Shipton, Martin (3 March 2006). "Wales strikes out on its own in its recognition of Somaliland". Wales Online. http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/welsh-politics/welsh-politics-news/tm_objectid=16766640&method=full&siteid=50082-name_page.html. Retrieved 2010-06-25. 
  22. ^ a b http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/fulltext/20084
  23. ^ http://www.uni-kassel.de/fb5/frieden/regionen/Somalia/dieterich.html
  24. ^ http://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/dschibuti-einer-der-heissesten-flecken-der-welt-1.313955
  25. ^ a b http://www.unpo.org/content/view/10712/236/
  26. ^ http://jimmatimes.com/article/Latest_News/Latest_News/Somalia_Israel_to_recognize_Somaliland_independence/33268
  27. ^ a b http://www.jungewelt.de/2010/07-01/012.php
  28. ^ a b c d e Contacts and addresses of the Somaliland Representative Offices around the world. Government of Somaliland.
  29. ^ Wiren, Robert (8 April 2008). France recognizes de facto Somaliland. Les Nouvelles d'Addis. Versailles. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  30. ^ Somaliland Trade Liaison Office, Pretoria. Visit of Somaliland’s UCID Foreign affairs spokesperson to south Africa. Qaran News (1 May 2010). Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  31. ^ Somaliland Diplomatic Mission in Sweden. Somaliland Embassy in Sweden.
  32. ^ Ethiopia’s New Representative to Somaliland. Qarannews (30 October 2009). Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  33. ^ Section II: Somaliland. International Council on Security and Development. Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  34. ^ SOMALIA: Ethiopia opens consulate in Puntland
  35. ^ We urgently need an Embassy in Somalia
  36. ^ Somaliland: Yemen To Open Diplomatic Office in Somaliland. Aden Press (19 February 2010). Retrieved 2010-05-25.
  37. ^ Yemen and Puntland to further cooperation
  38. ^ NPR.org
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