Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi Cirro has condemned an Egypt-led regional alliance involving Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea, accusing the countries of undermining Somaliland’s sovereignty and independence.
HARGEISA, Somalia (Somali Report) — Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, known as Cirro, has strongly opposed recent moves by an Egypt-led regional grouping involving Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea, accusing the countries of undermining Somaliland’s sovereignty.
“We oppose the anti-sovereignty measures taken by the countries recently united under Egypt’s leadership,” Cirro said, according to a statement carried by Somaliland media.
His remarks come amid growing regional cooperation on political and security issues, with the emerging alignment drawing objections from Somaliland’s administration over its implications for the territory’s long-running campaign for international recognition.
Somaliland has particularly criticised a joint statement issued by the countries opposing its recognition, viewing the position as a direct challenge to its claim to independent statehood.
Cirro said his administration would continue to defend what it considers Somaliland’s existence, sovereignty and independence, rejecting initiatives that it believes threaten those objectives.
The dispute reflects wider regional tensions over the status of Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991 following the collapse of the central government. Despite maintaining its own administration, security forces and political institutions for more than three decades, Somaliland has struggled to secure broad international recognition.
Somalia’s federal government continues to regard Somaliland as an integral part of its territory and has consistently opposed moves to recognise it as an independent state.
The disagreement has taken on renewed significance as countries around the Horn of Africa seek closer cooperation over security, maritime access and strategic interests in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, two waterways of considerable importance to international trade.
Egypt has strengthened its engagement with Somalia amid regional competition involving Ethiopia, whose pursuit of access to the sea has become a major source of tension with neighbouring countries. Cairo and Mogadishu have also expanded their security cooperation, while Sudan and Eritrea have maintained close diplomatic coordination with Egypt on several regional issues.
Somali Report · Newsletter
Your morning briefing on Somalia's biggest stories — politics, security, business, and the people shaping the region's future.
For Somaliland, the positions adopted by these governments threaten to complicate its efforts to gain international acceptance.
The administration has intensified its diplomatic campaign in recent months, particularly following its announcement that Israel had formally recognised Somaliland. The development has generated strong reactions across Africa and the Arab world, with several governments reaffirming their support for Somalia’s territorial integrity.
The recognition issue has become increasingly sensitive because of the strategic importance of Somaliland’s coastline, including the port of Berbera, which lies along the Gulf of Aden near one of the world's busiest maritime corridors.
Somaliland authorities argue that their claim to independence is rooted in their former status as a British protectorate, which briefly became independent in June 1960 before voluntarily uniting with the former Italian-administered territory to form the Somali Republic.
The union subsequently collapsed amid political turmoil and civil war, leading Somaliland to restore its independence declaration in 1991.
Successive Somali governments have rejected that declaration, insisting that the country’s unity and internationally recognised borders must be preserved.
Cirro’s latest comments underscore the widening diplomatic divide over Somaliland’s status, as its administration seeks international recognition while Somalia and several regional partners continue to defend the country’s territorial integrity.
The competing positions leave the question of Somaliland’s international status unresolved, with diplomatic relations and regional security interests likely to remain central to the dispute.
About the Author
Ahmed Omar is a senior journalist for Somali Report, based in Mogadishu. He has two decades of experience reporting on Somalia for international and local media. He covers politics, security, governance, business, trade, economic developments and regional affairs.
Forces loyal to former Southwest state leader seize town after heavy fighting
