The Politics of Non-Recognition: Why States Avoid Recognising Somaliland

Somaliland, or as we call it Republic of Somaliland, is a country is the Horn of Africa. In 1991, following the years of conflict and collapse of the Somali state after the Ogden war, the region severed its ties with mainland Somalia and declared itself independent. So, for around 34 years Somaliland has functioned as self-recognised entity without international recognition, consistently seeking formal acceptance as sovereign nation. This changed recently when Israel politically recognised Somaliland as an independent sovereign nation, citing the move as being “in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.” In this context Abraham Accords, signal a pragmatic approach grounded in shared security and regional interests, alongside prospects for economic and technological cooperation. Somaliland has also conveyed deep appreciation for Israel’s role in counter terrorism and its commitment to regional peace. This move has sparked political unease in Federal Republic of Somalia and drawn wider international attention. While Somaliland is not diplomatically isolated and hosts representative offices of nations like Taiwan, Ethiopia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Türkiye, the UAE, Kenya and Denmark, none have extended formal recognition. This raises a critical question: why have these states stopped short of recognising Somaliland as a sovereign nation? 

Several interrelated factors explain the lack of formal recognition for Somaliland. Foremost, the Federal Republic of Somalia firmly rejects Somaliland’s independence, a stance backed by multiple states. Somalia maintains extensive diplomatic relations worldwide and is formally recognised by the vast majority of UN members. As a member of both the United Nations and the African Union, Somalia is widely regarded as the sole legitimate representative of Somali territory, leaving Somaliland excluded from formal international recognition.

Secondly, concerns over a domino effect have shaped the cautious stance of both the United Nations and the African Union. Africa’s political landscape remains fragile, shaped by arbitrary colonial-era borders and ongoing territorial disputes across many nations. Formal recognition of Somaliland could embolden secessionist movements elsewhere, potentially triggering widespread instability. In response, the African Union has consistently reaffirmed the principle of respecting colonial-era boundaries as the legitimate borders of Somalia, emphasizing the importance of territorial integrity across the continent.

Finally, Somaliland remains outside key international and regional organisations, including the African Union and the United Nations. Major global institutions such as the European Union, the World Bank, the IMF, the UN, and the AU as well as several prominent donor countries, have invested heavily in rebuilding Somalia as a unified state and therefore avoid direct involvement in the Somaliland-Somalia dispute. Although multiple rounds of peace talk between Mogadishu and Hargeisa have taken place, they have consistently failed to yield positive results. Recent efforts stalled after tensions escalated following Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre’s 2024 visit to the disputed territory of Las Anod, which Somaliland denounced as a direct provocation against its sovereignty and territorial integrity. 

Hence, the long non-recognition of Somaliland reflects the tension between empirical statehood and political legitimacy in the international system. Despite, Somaliland maintaining continuous stability and governance, geopolitical caution, in essence, Somaliland’s prolonged non-recognition reflects the tension between empirical statehood and political legitimacy in the international system. Even though Somaliland has been peaceful and well governed for many years, worries about regional politics, slow institutions, and fear of setting an example for others still block its recognition, making its future depend on bigger changes in regional and global politics.