President Cirro Reaffirms Somaliland’s Sovereignty in Meeting with Top UN Humanitarian Official

Hargeisa, Somaliland – April 6, 2025:
President of the Republic of Somaliland, H.E. Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Cirro), held a high-level meeting today with Mr. George Conway, the United Nations Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General and top humanitarian official for Somalia and Somaliland. The meeting took place at the Presidential Palace in Hargeisa and was attended by senior officials from the United Nations, including Mr. Blaise Kabongo Mujika, Head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Somaliland.

During the meeting, President Cirro and the UN delegation discussed a wide range of issues, including humanitarian coordination, development cooperation, democracy, peace and security, and the overall scale and effectiveness of UN-funded projects in Somaliland.

Mr. Conway began by congratulating President Cirro on his 2024 electoral victory and praised Somaliland’s long-standing record of peace, democratic governance, and respect for the rule of law. He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to continuing and strengthening its partnership with Somaliland across humanitarian and development sectors.

President Cirro, for his part, welcomed the visit and acknowledged the historical cooperation between Somaliland and the UN. However, he emphasized the need for that partnership to be based on fairness, mutual respect, and recognition of Somaliland’s achievements and unique political status.

He stressed that Somaliland has, for over three decades, maintained peace, stability, and democratic governance without international recognition—an achievement that sets it apart in a region often plagued by conflict and state fragility. The President noted that Somaliland has successfully held multiple democratic elections and is preparing for upcoming polls in accordance with its constitution and legal framework.

In a clear and firm message to the United Nations, President Cirro reiterated Somaliland’s position on sovereignty and self-determination. He emphasized that Somaliland and Somalia are two separate and distinct entities, both politically and historically, and urged the international community—particularly the United Nations—not to conflate the two.

> “The people of Somaliland have already exercised their right to self-determination through a democratic referendum. This is not a demand—it is a decision,” President Cirro said.



He called on the UN to respect the will of the people of Somaliland and to align its engagement with the reality on the ground. He noted that future cooperation with the United Nations must recognize Somaliland’s right to chart its own course and engage on equal footing, not as a subordinate or under the framework of the Federal Government of Somalia.

> “Somaliland is open to a constructive and reliable partnership with the United Nations, but we will not accept a relationship based on dependency or misrepresentation. We are ready to contribute to solving the challenges facing the Horn of Africa—but only as a sovereign and responsible partner,” he added.



The meeting concluded with both sides agreeing to continue dialogue and explore ways to improve coordination on humanitarian efforts and development support, while acknowledging the evolving political landscape in the region.