Hargeisa, Somaliland – A senior Somaliland politician Faisal Ali Warabe has issued a passionate appeal for international recognition of Somaliland’s independence, following the landmark decision by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to formally recognize the State of Palestine.
In a statement shared shortly after Starmer’s announcement, Warabe congratulated the UK premier for what he described as “a bold and historic step” in support of peace in the Middle East. He then pivoted to Somaliland’s long-standing quest for recognition, calling on U.S. President Donald Trump to “take courageous and historical action and recognize the Somaliland Republic, rectifying the injustice our nation endured for 35 years.”
Warabe, a veteran politician who contested in Somaliland’s most recent presidential elections, urged both the Somaliland government and citizens to prepare for the heavy responsibility that full sovereignty would entail. “We must put our house in order and unite to defend our hard-won sovereignty,” he said.
Prime Minister Starmer’s recognition of Palestine comes amid renewed diplomatic momentum on the global stage.
“Today, to revive the hope of peace for the Palestinians and Israelis, and a two-state solution, the United Kingdom formally recognizes the State of Palestine,” he declared in a video message on X.
Starmer argued that without a secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state, “we have neither peace nor justice.”
His announcement followed similar moves by Canada and Australia over the weekend, with all three declarations timed ahead of the United Nations General Assembly gathering in New York this week.
For Somaliland, which has functioned with de facto independence since 1991 but remains internationally regarded as part of Somalia, Warabe’s remarks underline a renewed push to leverage shifting global dynamics. Analysts say the recognition of Palestine by major Western powers could embolden other unrecognized or disputed territories to intensify their campaigns for statehood.
Whether Trump—or any future U.S. administration—will heed Warabe’s appeal remains uncertain. But the call reflects a wider sentiment within Hargeisa’s political circles: that the moment is ripe to reignite Somaliland’s decades-long struggle for legitimacy on the world stage.