news As breakaway Somaliland votes, its leaders spy international recognition

[VOSS]

 

Voters in Somaliland flocked to the polls on Wednesday to choose a president at a time when the breakaway Somali region sees international recognition within reach after three decades of de facto self-rule.

 

Somaliland, which occupies a strategic location at the juncture of the Indian Ocean and Red Sea, declared independence from the Mogadishu government in 1991.

 

It has not been recognised by any country, restricting access to international finance and the ability of its six million people to travel.

 

The Hargeisa government is hoping to soon finalise a preliminary deal signed in January with landlocked Ethiopia that would grant Addis Ababa a strip of land on the coast in exchange for diplomatic recognition.

 

President Muse Bihi Abdi, in power since 2017, is standing for re-election against the main opposition party's candidate, Abdirahman Cirro.

 

"We pray to Allah to make the election take place democratically and peacefully and as usual a peaceful transfer of power in peace," Bihi told reporters after casting his vote.

 

The presidential candidates differ on domestic issues, but both have expressed support for the pact with Ethiopia.

 

The agreement has soured Mogadishu's relations with Addis Ababa, which is a major contributor to a peacekeeping force in Somalia fighting against Islamist militants there, and drawn Somalia closer to Ethiopia's historic rivals, Egypt and Eritrea.

 

Somaliland is also optimistic that the incoming Trump administration will revisit Washington's longstanding recognition of Mogadishu's sovereignty over Somaliland.

 

Several leading State Department officials who worked on Africa policy during Trump's first term have publicly voiced support for recognising Somaliland.

 

"We are hopeful that the new administration will defy some of the (traditional) American policy," Mohamoud said.

 

Mohamoud said the competitive, multi-party election was proof of Somaliland's democratic credentials.

 

Somaliland has mostly enjoyed peace since achieving autonomy in 1991, just as Somalia plunged into a civil war from which it has yet to emerge.

 

Reuters

[Illyboy]

Interesting, I hadn't heard about that land exchange with Ethiopia before.

 

I don't really see why nobody recognizes them, it's not like Somalia is really a stable country to begin with so why should they stay in it lol

[Arrows]

It's crazy how much the entire world is affected by the US election