Foreign relations of Somaliland

Due to its unrecognized status, The Republic of Somaliland has no official contacts with any other nation. The current foreign policy of Somaliland is to try to secure international recognition as a sovereign, stable country, so that international aid can be more readily secured.

Somaliland was independent for a 3 day period in 1960, between the end of British colonial rule and its union with the former Italian colony of Somalia which status then continued until the unilateral declaration reestablishing its independence in 1991.

Somaliland's claims to sovereignty rests on its former independent status. In addition, the fact that the rest of Somalia is in a state of chaos while Somaliland is under stable government also lends credence to its claim.

The attitude of the United Nations and the African Union on the preservation of existing national borders has so far prevented recognition of Somaliland, despite the examples of the former status of British Somaliland, and the fact that Eritrea successfully broke away from Ethiopia and became a recognized country.

An African Union fact-finding mission which visited Somaliland early 2005 recently published a report that recommended favorable consideration for recognizing Somaliland's independence. ref|1

Foreign Minister

Abdillahi Mohamed Dualeh is the current Foreign Minister of Somaliland, the Foreign Minister has held this office since 2006.

Diplomatic Representative Offices

As Somaliland is so far not recognized as sovereign by any other country, no embassies are located in Somaliland. Somaliland does have representative 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 places:
*Djibouti
*Ethiopia
*Italy
*United Kingdom
*United States of America

Disputes

Somaliland is in dispute with the neighbouring autonomous Somali region of Puntland over the Sanaag and Sool areas, some of whose inhabitants owe their allegiance to Puntland.

Somaliland's leaders have distanced themselves from Somalia's central transitional government, set up in 2004 following long-running talks in Kenya, which they see as a threat to Somaliland's autonomy.

Organizational Membership

Somaliland is a member of the "Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization" (UNPO).

References

* cite news| title=Somaliland: AU Mission to Somaliland Says Recognition Overdue | date=2006-03-01 | publisher=UNPO | url=http://www.unpo.org/news_detail.php?arg=60&par=3867
*cite news| title=AU supports Somali split | date=2006-02-10 | publisher=Mail & Guardian | url=http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=263915&area=/insight/insight__africa/