HARGEISA, 24 September 2026 — The two Houses of the Republic of Somaliland’s Parliament have adopted a joint resolution endorsing President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi “Irro’s” diplomatic mission to the United States and calling for Somaliland’s admission to the United Nations. Adopted on 23 September, the resolution brings the House of Elders and the House of Representatives together in support of a peaceful campaign for international recognition.
The resolution coincides with a public demonstration at Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza in New York City, where Somalilanders gathered on Wednesday during the high-level week of the United Nations General Assembly. Their presence near UN headquarters gave visible expression to a demand that the resolution advances through parliamentary and diplomatic channels: that Somaliland’s claim be considered on its historical record, its institutions and its demonstrated capacity for self-government.
Parliament grounds that claim in Somaliland’s independence from the United Kingdom on 26 June 1960, its subsequent union with the former Italian-administered Somalia, and its restoration of independence in 1991. The resolution invokes the principle of respect for inherited African boundaries and the African Union’s 2005 fact-finding mission, which described Somaliland’s circumstances as distinctive. These are elements of Somaliland’s case for recognition, which remains a matter for engagement with other states and international institutions.
The two Houses also point to more than three decades of functioning public institutions, constitutional government and competitive elections. Their resolution cites the 2001 constitutional referendum and peaceful transfers of political authority as evidence that Somaliland’s aspirations rest on an enduring system of self-government. It presents recognition as a question of democratic representation as well as international status.
The parliamentary action follows a series of engagements by President Irro and his delegation in Washington. The President has brought Somaliland’s case before American political and policy audiences, including in an address hosted by the Hudson Institute on 14 September. The delegation’s discussions have linked the recognition question with opportunities for cooperation in trade, investment and security around the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea.
In endorsing that mission, the resolution gives the President an explicit statement of support from both chambers. It also salutes the Somaliland diaspora and friends of Somaliland for their peaceful advocacy in New York. The demonstration was a public gathering alongside the General Assembly’s meetings; it was not a UN proceeding. Its significance lay in carrying the parliamentary appeal into the view of an international audience assembled in the city. The resolution calls on the UN Security Council and General Assembly to consider Somaliland’s admission under Article 4 of the UN Charter. Membership requires a recommendation from the Security Council followed by a decision of the General Assembly. Parliament’s appeal therefore asks those institutions to take the steps within their respective authority; the resolution itself does not initiate admission or alter Somaliland’s present UN status.
Equally central to the text is its commitment to peaceful diplomacy. Parliament states that the resolution is directed against no state or people and reaffirms Somaliland’s wish for good-neighbourly relations. It directs that the resolution be transmitted to the UN Secretary-General, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the leadership of the United States Congress and diplomatic missions.
The joint resolution gives the recognition campaign a clear parliamentary voice at a moment of heightened international attention. Its message to governments and international bodies is an invitation to examine Somaliland’s particular history and present-day institutions, and to engage its claim through dialogue and the procedures of international law.
READ PDF Full Statement HERE
Somaliland Parliament Endorses President’s Recognition Mission, Calls for International Recognition in Joint Resolution
Aggregated summary from an independent source. Read the original at SomTribune.