The Indispensable Unity of Somalia

[Deeq A.]

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud lays a wreath at the Dhagaxtuur Monument in Mogadishu earlier today.

Garowe (PP Editorial) — On 26 June 1960, the flag of the Federal Republic of Somalia was raised in Hargeisa, marking it as the first independent Somali territory to fly the national flag. This was a moment of profound national pride.

The independence of what was then known as the British Somaliland Protectorate had been negotiated at a constitutional conference held in May 1960. One of the key resolutions of the conference was to expedite the unification of the British Somaliland Protectorate with the Trust Territory of Somalia, paving the way for the establishment of the Republic of Somalia on 1 July 1960.

The independence of the Trust Territory of Somalia (formerly under Italian-administered trusteeship) was the result of sustained efforts by the Allied powers and members of the United Nations. The process, known as Trusteeship, began in 1950 when British Military Administration handed over governance to Italy, which was tasked with preparing the territory for full independence by 1960.

The flag of Somalia, designed by Mohamed Awale Liban, was unveiled in 1954. It replaced the Italian flag and became the principal national symbol of the Trust Territory. It was later adopted by the pre-independence government led by Prime Minister Abdullahi Issa Mohamud.

Unveiled in 1954, the flag of the Federal Republic of Somalia was designed by Mohamed Awale Liban.

The Somali flag was conceived to symbolise the dream of Somali unity: to bring all Somali territories in northeast Africa under one flag. This vision was later opposed by the adversaries of Somali nationalism. As Somali nationalism grew, the dream was labelled “irredentist” by critics.

The injustice inflicted on northern Somalis under British rule triggered territorial disputes between Ethiopia and Somalia during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Had the south not gained independence, it is likely that the former British Somaliland would have remained under British control. Emperor Haile Selassie had expansionist ambitions to annex another Somali territory in North. At the 1959 Greater Somalia conference in Mogadishu, Abdullahi Essa Mohamud sent a strong message to the Emperor whose country was liberated by Britain.

The sovereignty of Somalia remains the most valuable asset its citizens share. Generations of Somalis have made collective sacrifices to defend the political and territorial unity of their nation. As Somalia prepares to mark the 65th anniversary of independence and union on 1 July 2025, it is a moment to reflect on the past and reaffirm the commitment to national unity. Soomaaliya Ha Noolaato.

© Puntland Post, 2025

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