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Gavin Williamson renews calls for UK to recognize Somaliland after meeting new president
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    Saturday January 4, 2025



    British MP Sir Gavin Williamson poses with Somaliland’s newly elected President, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullah, during their meeting in Hargeisa, where Williamson reiterated his call for the UK to recognize Somaliland as an independent state. CREDIT/ SUPPLIED

    Mogadishu (HOL) — British MP Sir Gavin Williamson has renewed calls for the United Kingdom to recognize Somaliland as an independent state following a meeting with Somaliland’s newly elected President, Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullah, in Hargeisa on Friday. The meeting also included the Minister of the Somaliland Presidency and the President’s Chief of Staff.

    The meeting, which Williamson described as significant, comes after Somaliland held a peaceful transfer of power following free and fair elections. A long-standing advocate for Somaliland’s sovereignty, he commended the region’s governance, noting how it stands out in the Horn of Africa. “Following a free and fair election as well as a peaceful transition of power—unlike so many of its neighbours—it is now time for the UK to recognize Somaliland as an independent nation,” Williamson said in a statement. He further urged allied nations, including the United States, to join in formal recognition, emphasizing that the moment to act “has been far too long in coming.”

    Williamson has previously brought the issue to the UK Parliament, where momentum has been building. Over 20 MPs have voiced support for recognizing Somaliland, alongside several US Congress members who have amplified calls for recognition. Somaliland’s stability, democratic governance, and growing international ties, including its partnership with Taiwan, have bolstered its case for recognition.

    The meeting comes at a time of growing support for Somaliland’s recognition within the UK. In July 2024, Liverpool City Council unanimously passed a motion urging His Majesty’s Government to recognize Somaliland, citing its stability and self-governance since it declared independence from Somalia in 1991. Williamson praised Liverpool’s initiative, which was celebrated by the Somaliland diaspora as a “milestone” in their decades-long campaign for international recognition.

    Across the Atlantic, Williamson has reportedly lobbied members of Donald Trump’s team to consider recognizing Somaliland as Trump prepares to assume office later this month. 

    Somaliland’s strategic location in the Gulf of Aden has heightened interest from Western nations, particularly as tensions in the Red Sea persist. The port of Berbera, described as a potential hub for military and trade operations, has been identified as a critical asset. Recognizing Somaliland could offer the UK and its allies, including the US, a stable partner in a volatile region.

    Despite increasing international support, the Somali government has vigorously opposed Somaliland’s independence aspirations. Reports indicate that Mogadishu will spend $600,000 this year on lobbying efforts in the United States to discourage recognition of Somaliland.

    Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government in Mogadishu. While it has operated as a self-declared independent state with its own institutions, it remains unrecognized internationally, leaving its pursuit of sovereignty unresolved.

     





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