Somaliland’s Centuries-old Borders won’t be Altered by Somalia’s PM Visit to Las Anod
Following Mogadishu’s official recognition of the SSC-Khatumo administration, Somaliland has accused the federal government of intentionally sabotaging regional peace and escalating instability in Somaliland.
Mohamed Ahmed Hurre (Barawani), Somaliland’s ambassador to Kenya, responded by dismissing any chance of interacting with the recently acknowledged regional administration as a “political invention” supported by the federal government in an effort to undermine Sool and Sanaag.
Barawani stated to BBC Somali, “Our borders have been recognized internationally for more than a hundred years. They cannot be altered by a brief visit or political tactics. The actions of the federal government are jeopardizing peace and creating instability in Sool and Sanaag.”
These comments come in the wake of Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s visit to Las Anod, during which he received a staged welcome from local leaders and inaugurated so called federally funded development initiatives.
The action was largely perceived as a symbolic assertion of federal power in an area that is part and parcel of Somaliland Republic.
Somaliland interprets this action as a deliberate infringement on its sovereignty and has halted current discussions with the federal government, pointing to the acknowledgment of SSC-Khatumo as a non-negotiable issue.
“Past Somali administrations refrained from crossing this line. However, Hamza and Hassan Sheikh have opted for conflict instead of collaboration,” Barawani remarked. “This is not governance; it is provocation.”
Somaliland resumed unilaterally its independence and sovereignty from the 1960 union consummated with Italian Somalia in 1991, asserting its territorial rights based on the borders of the former British Somaliland protectorate. Despite lacking formal recognition from any nation as a sovereign state, Somaliland has successfully established its own government, currency, and security forces.
The contested SSC-Khatumo region is central to the conflicting territorial claims between Somaliland and local leaders aligned with the federal government. While Somaliland had maintained control over Las Anod for several years, in 2023, in the light of an uprising in SSC-Khatumo fueled by a militia aligned with federal government, Somaliland forces left the vicinity of Las Anod city and surrounding area to avoid intense and fatal confrontations for the sake of locals.
The federal government contends that its involvement in the area is intended to foster inclusive governance and tackle local issues. In Las Anod, residents rejoiced at the acknowledgment of SSC-Khatumo, viewing it as a chance to engage more closely with the federal framework in the eyes of federal government.
However, officials from Somaliland caution that this action could create a perilous precedent and undermine regional initiatives aimed at preventing conflict escalation.
“While individuals have the right to voice their concerns, that does not warrant the declaration of recognition from afar or the attempt to erase long-standing borders,” Barawani stated. “Such actions are inconsistent with international standards.”