Somalia has finally recognized Somaliland as a federal entity after years of denying the existence of a country that broke away from it.
Somalia, whose government is propped by the United Nations, has been portraying Somaliland as an equal in the recent past.
Before ascending power in 2017, the two countries’ presidents – Mohamed Abdulahi Farmaajo of Somalia and Musa Bihi Abdi of Somaliland – recognized their people’s differences.
Since assuming power, President Farmaajo has made numerous attempts to present Somaliland as part of his country.
A few months ago, Somalia’s electoral body also announced plans to carry out the country’s first one-person one-vote polls in Somaliland too.
The attempt by Somalia’s electoral body ignored the fact that Somaliland’s own electoral body had organized similar polls in the past and witnessed peaceful handing over of power for years.
Somaliland declared self-independence from Somalia in 1991 after the deadly Civil War in the latter destroyed normalcy.
In February 2020, leaders from the two countries met in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, under the guidance of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.