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Reaffirms Somalia’s Indivisible Sovereignty
MOGADISHU — In a landmark national address tonight,
President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud delivered a powerful
message to the Somali people and the international community
following Israel’s controversial diplomatic engagement with the Somaliland region.
The President detailed the long, arduous journey of Somali
statehood since 1969, emphasizing that Somalia’s unity is –
not up for negotiation through “papers signed in foreign capitals.”
A History of Resilience
President Mohamud reflected on the stages of the Somali state, from the civilian administrations of the 1960s to the 21-year military era and the subsequent decades of civil strife and foreign intervention.
“The Somali people have survived through endurance, dialogue, and reconciliation,” the President stated.
“It is through this collective will that we established the Federal system to heal the wounds of the past.”
The Somaliland Question: Dialogue vs.
Provocation
Addressing the long-standing grievances of the northern regions (Somaliland),
the President acknowledged the pain of the 1990s
but stressed
that the current Federal Government has consistently pursued a policy of peaceful dialogue.
- The Las Anod Crisis: He cited the 2023 conflict in Sool as a sign of the “misguided path” taken by the Hargeisa administration, noting that Mogadishu’s calls for peace were repeatedly ignored.
- The Ethiopia-Somaliland MoU: The President described the recent maritime deal with Ethiopia as a “betrayal of ongoing talks,” suggesting that the Somaliland leadership chose external shortcuts over internal brotherhood.
Rejecting Israel’s “Unauthorized Incursion”
The President saved his harshest criticism for the recent diplomatic overtures by Israel.
He asserted that the Hargeisa administration has become
“vulnerable to foreign ambitions,”
specifically accusing Israel of
seeking to exploit Somali territory for its own military and geopolitical interests in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.
“Recognition does not lie with Netanyahu; it lies with the Somali people who share your faith, your blood, and your future,” the President declared, addressing the citizens in Hargeisa.
The Global Precedent
In a strategic comparison, President Mohamud noted that global recognition requires the consent of the –“mother country,” citing cases like South Sudan and Eritrea, which achieved independence through long-term —
negotiations and mutual agreement. He contrasted these with Taiwan and Catalonia,
noting that without a political settlement with the central government, international recognition remains an unattainable dream.
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