Saturday May 18, 2024
Hargeisa (HOL) - The self-declared state of Somaliland celebrated its 33rd anniversary of independence on Saturday with colourful events held throughout the Somaliland regions.
Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, opposition leaders, and various officials attended the commemoration of May 18 in Hargeisa, where the main event took place.
"Somaliland is not a region seceding from a country as Africa fears. Everyone acknowledges that we were two countries united. In the 2005 African Union report, it was stated that Somaliland is different from other African issues," said President Bihi.
Regarding the recent MoU deal between Ethiopia and Somaliland, President Bihi said that the Somali government cannot stop the Red Sea agreement and that it will be implemented soon. He accused Somalia of misleading the world and making the agreement seem dangerous.
"Ethiopia has asked us to provide them with a military base and become the first to recognize Somaliland, and that should not be ignored," said President Bihi.
The landlocked Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a memorandum of understanding on January 1 to lease 20 km (12 miles) of coastline in Somaliland. Under the deal, the coastal area around the port of Berbera on the Gulf of Aden will be used by Ethiopia for 50 years for military and commercial purposes.
Former President of Somaliland Dahir Riyale Kaahin, who also spoke at the occasion, called on the people of Somaliland for unity and togetherness on the 33rd anniversary of Somaliland.
Despite functioning as a de facto state with its own passports and constitution, Somaliland remains unrecognized by the African Union, the United Nations, and most countries, including the United States.