Wednesday June 26, 2024
Mogadishu (HOL) — President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud attended a ceremony in Mogadishu on Tuesday to mark Somalia's 64th Independence Day. He was joined by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, Deputy Prime Minister Salah Ahmed Jama, and other senior officials. During the event, President Mohamud wished Somalis at home and abroad a joyous Independence Day.
Prime Minister Barre echoed the President's sentiments, highlighting the importance of national unity and resilience."I congratulate the entire Somali nation on the occasion of June 26, which marks the 64th anniversary of the independence of the Northern Regions from British colonial rule and the raising of our flag on free Somali soil."
June 26, 1960, is a pivotal date in Somali history as it commemorates the independence of British Somaliland. This achievement was a precursor to the unification of British Somaliland with the Trust Territory of Somalia (formerly Italian Somaliland) on July 1, 1960, forming the Somali Republic. The unified nation marked a major step towards the realization of Greater Somalia, a vision of bringing all Somali-inhabited territories under one sovereign state.
The anniversary celebrations in Mogadishu and other parts of Somalia included cultural performances, parades, and reflections on the nation's progress and challenges since gaining independence.