China Is Not an Enemy of Somaliland Administration

[Deeq A.]

Xi Jinping, the President of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

Hargeisa (Comment) — The Horn of Africa has entered a turbulent geopolitical phase at a time when the global order itself is increasingly fragile. Against this backdrop, comments made by Abdullahi Osman, the Minister of Environment of the Somaliland Administration, have generated significant debate among Somalis. Speaking to Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster, Osman claimed that China “is our enemy, along with Somalia and Djibouti”, and added that Israel and the United States “are on our side.” These remarks sent shockwaves across many parts of Africa, where there is already deep unease about Israel’s growing assertiveness and perceived attempts to redraw the political map of the Horn of Africa.

In 2020, the Somaliland Administration, taking advantage of the special status granted to it by the Federal Government of Somalia under previous agreements, signed a bilateral protocol with Taiwan, which refers to itself as the “Republic of China”. This agreement directly violated the One-China policy upheld by the Federal Republic of Somalia. In response, the Federal Government of Somalia formally denounced the agreement.

A secessionist administration operating within a recognised sovereign state effectively invited Taiwan in a move widely interpreted as an attempt to antagonise the People’s Republic of China. The decision by Somaliland Administration violated China’s sovereignty and demonstrated how detached the political leadership of the secessionist authority has become from the realities of international diplomacy and the legal path to any mutually agreed resolution regarding its status within the Federal Republic of Somalia.

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

China is a global superpower and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, with veto power over any potential international recognition of Somaliland by other states. The claim that China is an “enemy” of the Somaliland Administration is therefore far-fetched and diplomatically reckless. No secessionist authority has ever successfully advanced its cause by openly opposing the core interests of a Permanent Five member of the Security Council.

By rejecting both the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Somalia and that of the People’s Republic of China, Somaliland Administration has adopted a self-defeating foreign policy that further entrenches its international isolation. This comes at a time when the African Union and the United Nations are calling on Somaliland Administration to resume dialogue with the Federal Government of Somalia. The United Kingdom sponsored the first round of talks between the Somaliland Administration and the Federal Government of Somalia in 2012 in London and has consistently reaffirmed its support for Somalia’s sovereignty.

Abdirahman M. Abdullahi, the President of Somaliland Adminstration.

Following Israel’s unlawful recognition of the Somaliland Administration on 26 December 2025, the United Kingdom once again reaffirmed its position. James Kariuki, Chargé d’Affaires at the UK Mission to the United Nations, stated: “First, the United Kingdom reaffirms its support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence and unity of Somalia. Second, we urge further efforts between the Federal Government of Somalia and the Somaliland authorities to address differences and work together to face common threats. Al-Shabaab and other terrorist organisations benefit from internal divisions in Somalia. We encourage Mogadishu and Hargeisa to pursue dialogue, with the support of regional bodies and the international community, to resolve these divisions.”

The misleading statement made by the Somaliland Administration’s Minister of Environment has seriously damaged the credibility of the secessionist leadership. Any entity aspiring to join the community of nations must demonstrate a clear understanding of diplomatic norms, international law, and, above all, the foundational principle of the United Nations concerning the sovereignty of member states.

History shows that provoking global superpowers does not lead to successful secession in Africa. Nor can unilateral recognition by Israel serve as a credible pathway to statehood for the Somaliland Administration. The experiences of Eritrea and South Sudan remain instructive and underline the importance of a negotiated settlement and strict adherence to international legal principles.

 © Puntland Post, 2026