The Somaliland government has strongly condemned statements made yesterday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who opposed the recognition of Somaliland, describing it as an unacceptable interference that disrupts its relations with regional and international countries.
A press release issued by the Somaliland government stated that foreign policy decisions in the Horn of Africa countries should be determined by the governments and peoples of the region, and that it cannot be allowed to bring foreign challenges to the region to undermine stability and cooperation.
“The Republic of Somaliland strongly condemns the recent statements by the President of the Republic of Turkey, which it considers an unacceptable interference that disrupts the relations between Somaliland and its friends and countries in the region.”
Somaliland’s statement came after the Turkish President said in Addis Ababa that Israel’s recognition of Somaliland was of no benefit to Somaliland and the Horn of Africa as a whole.
Erdogan, speaking at a joint press conference with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, argued that countries in the region should find solutions to their own problems and that the Horn of Africa should not be turned into a “space for confrontation between foreign powers.”
Erdogan also said that Turkey attaches importance to the independence and territorial integrity of countries in the region and does not want to exacerbate conflicts and problems in an already unstable region.
For its part, Somaliland has insisted that its relations with countries and international institutions are peaceful, law-based, and reflect the democratic will of its people. It called on Turkey to respect the principles of self-determination, non-interference, and Somaliland’s right to determine its own political and diplomatic future.
“Somaliland has the right to deal independently with whomever it sees fit, based on its national interest and the wishes of its people.”
