Hargeisa - Somaliland Foreign Minister Abdillahi Duale today 8 December, welcomed the US State Department’s statement, US Policy on Somaliland, issued on 5 December 2007.

The Somaliland Government has carefully studied the issued Policy on Somaliland of the United States of America (US). It also noted the US Secretary Condoleezza Rice’s Statement on Somalia Consultations in Addis Ababa of 5 December and the US State Department’s fact-sheet on Ethiopia-Eritrea: U.S. Policy Towards the Border Dispute. The Somaliland Government was briefed this week by our continental and global allies, and also had the opportunity to consult with senior diplomatic officials.

Among the key judgements of the US Policy on Somaliland is “that the African Union is the most appropriate forum to address the question of recognition of Somaliland as an independent state”. Furthermore, the statement also sets the record straight that the US government engages the Somaliland Government on “ Somaliland’s continued progress towards democratization and economic development.”

This statement of the US is consistent with the African Union (AU) Report of the “AU Fact-Finding Mission to Somaliland (30 April to 4 May 2005)”, which recommends that “the AU should find a special method of dealing with this outstanding case.” It further recommends: “The lack of recognition ties the hands of the authorities and people of Somaliland as they cannot effectively and sustainably transact with the outside to pursue the reconstruction and development goals.” The AU report concludes that “the AU should be disposed to judge the case of Somaliland from an objective historical viewpoint and a moral angle vis-à-vis the aspirations of the people.”

The Somaliland Government believes that this US Policy on Somaliland can also contribute to the African Union process led through the innovative leadership of the AU Commission Chair, Prof Alpha Konare, of discussing this outstanding case of Somaliland in an accurate way, thereby contributing to building regional peace and stability for the peoples of the Horn of Africa. Prof Konare correctly raised the matter of Somaliland at the last 2007 AU Executive Council Meeting of Foreign Ministers in Accra, Ghana.

In this respect, the Somaliland Government, has consistently called upon the AU and UN member states to accelerate their co-operation on the case of Somaliland in a spirit of dialogue and in light of the increasing regionalization and globalization of insecurity, notably the use of violence as a means of political change.

Whilst the AU report and the statements of friendly states, such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, UK, Sweden and the US have placed the international community on the right path to finally resolve the outstanding case of Somaliland’s international status, in accordance with the AU’s Constitutive Act, it is important that this process should be fully supported without undue delay, interference and pressure. The right of self-determination of the people of Somaliland is not negotiable.

As Somaliland prepares for its second democratic Presidential elections of 31 August 2008, the Somaliland Government also urges the international community to utilise Somaliland’s home-grown window of opportunity to advance the NEPAD goals of good governance and stability without delay. Through such a course of action, we will be elevating the AU and UN’s official NEPAD development policy on the path of regional peace and reconciliation in the Horn of Africa.

Somaliland remains committed to advancing its young democracy, security, borders and sovereignty, in a difficult environment of Mogadishu’s sad humanitarian and refugee crisis. It views dimly any attempt to abuse Somaliland’s policy of hospitality to refugees and to undermine Somaliland’s hard-earned security via illegal means.

Issued by  

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Hargeisa, Somaliland

8 December 2007