Former US Ambassador to Somalia, Larry Andre, has urged the US government to consider the issue of Somaliland more carefully, amid growing calls within the US for the recognition of the Hargeisa administration as an independent country.
The diplomat said that the Horn of Africa is in a very tense situation with internal and inter-state conflicts and conflicts, which makes any hasty decision on Somaliland a threat to regional stability and the future of Somalia.
He recommended that Washington not take unilateral measures on its own, but rather consult widely with neighboring countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, Djibouti and Uganda, as well as the leadership of the African Union, to ensure that the decision made does not harm the region.
The envoy suggested three possible courses of action for the US: to maintain the status quo, to open a diplomatic office in Hargeisa while the embassy in Mogadishu remains operational, or to formally recognize Somaliland’s independence.
However, he made it clear that his preference is for a middle option, which is to open an office in Hargeisa to facilitate diplomacy for both sides, while Washington encourages Hargeisa and Mogadishu to resume formal talks to reach a political solution.
The diplomat specifically warned that unilateral recognition by the United States of Somaliland could damage its relationship with the Somali people who support unity, and could further fuel clan conflicts, a sensitive issue in the region.
Speaking about the internal situation in Somaliland, he said that the Hargeisa administration has a better level of security and governance than the rest of the country, but that cannot erase the fact that the Somaliland issue needs a lasting and mutually satisfactory solution. He added that Puntland has also achieved similar achievements in terms of security and development while still being part of the federal government of Somalia.
Finally, the former UN envoy to Somalia said that the success of Somalia and the Horn of Africa as a whole will depend on two main factors: reconciliation and resolution of the Somaliland issue, and the liberation of the territories still under the control of Al-Shabaab. He wished the Somali people peace, stability and success in the near future.
