Somaliland: Official Says Claim to Recognition Consistent With African Union Charter
An official from the International Crisis Group today said
Somaliland may gain recognition as an independent state at some point in the
future.
Talking to VOA, Matt Bryden, the director of the Horn of Africa Project of the
ICG, says the breakaway republic’s claim to recognition is “consistent
with the AU charter.” Bryden adds, “Having once been an independent
state, Somaliland’s claim to independence is probably stronger than that
of territories such as Eritrea and Western Sahara, that are already members
of the AU.”
He told English to Africa reporter Ashenafi Abedje that today’s statement
by the Ethiopian foreign minister doesn’t change the Ethiopian position
on Somaliland. He says Ethiopia “has long maintained a de facto relationship
with Somaliland, falling short of full diplomatic recognition.” He says
this includes close cooperation on a number of trade and security issues.
Ethiopia says despite its trade relations with Somalia’s breakaway enclave of Somaliland, it does not support the sovereignty of the self-declared republic. Ethiopian foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin says Somaliland deserves to be rewarded for creating peace out of anarchy, but no one should confuse Ethiopia’s trade links there as recognition of its bid for nationhood. Last year, the Ethiopian government sent a formal delegation to the former British Somaliland and signed deals to boost cross-border trade and use the Berbera port. Many saw the agreements as a tacit recognition of Somaliland’s much-rebuffed bid for sovereignty.
Bryden says recognizing Somaliland is a decision to be made collectively by the African Union and not by individual member states. He says he sees no contradiction in Ethiopia actively trading with Somaliland and not officially recognizing it. Bryden says Ethiopia is simply pursuing its national interests, which he says include “having a stable and cooperative neighbor, and having access to the Gulf of Aden.” He adds Ethiopia also requires a relationship with southern Somalia.