Hornpost
Hargeisa (Horn post) The KAAH Opposition Party of the Republic of Somaliland warmly welcomes and commends the State of Israel for its formal re-recognition of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state. This historic decision represents Israel’s second recognition of Somaliland, reaffirming the original recognition granted on 26 June 1960, when Somaliland achieved independence from British colonial rule.
PRESS RELEASE
Subject: Clarification on Misleading Narratives on Israel’s Re-recognition of Somaliland Under International Law
On behalf of the KAAH Opposition Party of the Republic of Somaliland, we warmly reiterate our profound gratitude to the State of Israel for its formal recognition of Somaliland’s sovereignty. This historic decision marks the second occasion on which the State of Israel has formally recognized Somaliland, following its earlier recognition on June 26, 1960.
Contrary to the narratives pushed by the African Union, IGAD, and the Arab League, Somaliland’s independence is firmly grounded in historical fact and international law. Assertions invoking the so-called “territorial integrity” of Somalia are both factually incorrect and legally unfounded.
The Republic of Somaliland attained independence from the United Kingdom as a fully sovereign state on June 26, 1960, and was recognized by 35 countries, including permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. Its territorial boundaries are clearly defined, internationally recognized, and rooted in colonial-era demarcations.
Shortly after independence, Somaliland lost its de facto sovereignty due to a radical and voluntary union with the former Italian Trust Territory of Somalia on July 1, 1960. That union was illegal as it was never underpinned by a legally binding Act of Union. The absence of such an instrument renders Somalia’s territorial claim over Somaliland legally void. Under international law, claims of territorial integrity require the existence of full sovereignty, something Somalia has never exercised over Somaliland.
Following three decades of de facto occupation, compounded by another three decades of self- determination struggle, and after the collapse of the Mogadishu-based military dictatorship that carried out a brutal genocidal campaign against our people, the Republic of Somaliland lawfully reasserted its de-facto sovereignty. This restoration, viewed alongside the legal principle of state continuity, places our case squarely within the framework of international law. It also satisfies all criteria for statehood under the 1933 Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States and re-enforces the right to self-determination as enshrined in Article 1(2) of the United Nations Charter.
Israel’s re-recognition, therefore, does not “create” a new state of Somaliland. Rather, it affirms a legal existence that is 65 years old and acknowledges a political and empirical reality that has endured for 34 years, despite prolonged international neglect. Moreover, under the prevailing declaratory theory of international law, the political existence of a state is independent of recognition by other states. Consequently, intergovernmental organizations possess no legal authority to obstruct the sovereign decisions of states. In this context, Israel’s recognition represents a principled and lawful alignment of international legal doctrine with on-the-ground realities.
Our message to the international community is clear: the one-sided policy that denied the rights and freedoms of our people while propping up a failed entity-Somalia-which has exercised no effective governance, control, or administration for over 33 years, has reached its end.
We call upon the international community, including members of the African Union, members of the European Union, the United States and the rest of the global community of nations, to abandon outdated doctrines promoted by a state of persistent dysfunction and to acknowledge the undeniable truth: the Republic of Somaliland is, by every definition of international law, an independent and sovereign nation.
Chairman of KAAH Political Party
H.E Mohamoud Hashi Abdi
Prepared:
Horn post Reporter
