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State of Somaliland

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This article is about the independent country established on 26 June 1960. For the state established in 1991, see Somaliland.

State of Somaliland
Qaranka Soomaaliland (Somali)
دولة صوماليلاند (Arabic)
Dawlat Ṣūmālīlānd
1960
Flag of Somaliland
Anthem: National anthem
Location of Somaliland
Location of Somaliland
StatusIndependent state
CapitalHargeisa
Common languagesSomali
English
Arabic
Religion
Islam
GovernmentUnitary parliamentary republic
• Prime Minister
Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal[1]
LegislatureLegislative Assembly
History 
26 June 1960
• Unification with the Trust Territory of Somaliland to form the Somali Republic
1 July 1960
Area
• Total
176,120[2] km2 (68,000 sq mi)
Population
• 1960 estimate
650,000[3]
CurrencyEast African shilling
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
British Somaliland
Somali Republic
Today part of
Part of a series on the
History of Somaliland
Coat of arms of Somalia
Prehistory
Ancient
Middle Ages
Early modern
flag Somaliland portal

Somaliland, officially the State of Somaliland,[4][5] (Somali: Qaranka Soomaaliland, Arabic: دولة صوماليلاند, romanized: Dawlat Ṣūmālīlānd) was a short-lived independent country in the territory of the present-day unilaterally declared Republic of Somaliland, which regards itself as its legal successor.[1] It existed on the territory of former British Somaliland for five days between 26 June 1960 and 1 July 1960, when it merged with the formerly Italian administered Trust Territory of Somaliland to form the Somali Republic.[6][7]

History

Agreements and Exchanges of Letters between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Somaliland in connexion with the Attainment of Independence by Somaliland[8]

Initially the British government planned to delay protectorate of British Somaliland independence in favour of a gradual transfer of power. The arrangement would allow local politicians to gain more political experience in running the protectorate before official independence. However, strong pan-Somali nationalism and a landslide victory in the earlier elections encouraged them to demand independence and unification with the Trust Territory of Somaliland under Italian Administration (the former Italian Somaliland).[9]

The British stated that it would be prepared to grant independence to the then protectorate of British Somaliland, with the intention that the territory would unite with the Trust Territory of Somaliland. The Legislative Council of British Somaliland passed a resolution in April 1960 requesting independence and union with the Trust Territory of Somaliland, which was scheduled to gain independence on 1 July that year. The legislative councils of both territories agreed to this proposal following a joint conference in Mogadishu.[10]

Somaliland flying the Somali Flag at the Independence ceremony on 26 June 1960. The then Prime Minister of the State of Somaliland Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal salutes the flag.
The Somaliland Protectorate Constitutional Conference, London, May 1960 in which it was decide that 26 June be the day of Independence, and so signed on 12 May 1960. Somaliland Delegation: Mohamed Haji Ibrahim Egal, Ahmed Haji Dualeh, Ali Garad Jama& Haji Ibrahim Nur. From the Colonial Office: Ian Macleod, D. B. Hall, H. C. F. Wilks (Secretary)

Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal, who had previously served as an unofficial member of the former British Somaliland protectorate's Executive Council and the leader of Government Business in the Legislative Council, became the prime minister of Somaliland.[11]

On 26 June 1960, the former British Somaliland protectorate obtained independence as Somaliland, with the Trust Territory of Somaliland due to follow suit five days later.[1][7] The following day, on 27 June 1960, the newly convened Somaliland Legislative Assembly approved a bill that would formally allow for the union of Somaliland with the Trust Territory of Somaliland on 1 July 1960.[10]

There were also fears of clashes with populations in Ethiopia.[12]

Following unification on 1 July 1960, a government was formed by Abdullahi Issa, with Abdulcadir Muhammed Aden as President of the Somali National Assembly, Aden Abdullah Osman Daar as President and Abdirashid Ali Shermarke as Prime Minister, later to become President (from 1967 to 1969). On 20 July 1961, and through a popular referendum, the Somali people ratified a new constitution, which was first drafted in 1960.[13] The constitution was widely regarded as unfair in the former Somaliland, however, and over 60% of the northern voters were against it in the referendum. Regardless, it was signed into law. Widespread dissatisfaction spread among the north's population,[14] and British-trained officers attempted a revolt to end the union in December 1961. Their uprising failed, and Somaliland continued to be marginalized by the south during the next decades.[15]

Diplomatic recognition

During its existence, Somaliland received international recognition from 35 countries,[16] that included China, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Israel, Libya and the Soviet Union.

Queen Elizabeth II sent the following message to the people of Somaliland to mark independence day:

“I, my Government and my people in the United Kingdom, wish you well on this day of independence. The connection between our people goes back some 130 years and British administration of the Protectorate for 60 years. I look forward to a continuing and enduring friendship between our two countries.”[17]

The United States Secretary of State Christian Herter sent a congratulatory message,[16][18][19] and the United Kingdom signed several bilateral agreements with Somaliland in Hargeisa on June 26, 1960.[16][20][4]

United States Secretary of State Christian Herter sent the following letter:

June 26, 1960
Their Excellencies,
Council of Ministers of Somaliland, Hargeisa.
Your Excellencies: I extend my best wishes and congratulations on the achievement of your independence. This is a noteworthy milestone in your history, and it is with pleasure that I send
my warmest regards on this happy occasion.
Christian a. Herter
Secretary of State, United States of America.

[21]

Governance

The system of governance for Somaliland was established by the Constitution of Somaliland which was enacted by the Somaliland Order in Council 1960 (SI 1960/1060) made by Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom on 23 June 1960.[5][22][23][24]

The Order in Council explicitly stated that "Somaliland shall become an independent country on the 26 day of June, 1960" and that British protection over Somaliland would lapse on the same date. The introduction to the constitution defined Somaliland's territory as being all the territory of the British Somaliland Protectorate.[5]

The constitution established three branches of government following the Westminster system:[25]

  • The Council of Ministers which was led by the Prime Minister and included four other ministers.
  • The Legislative Assembly which had 34 members and was presided over by a Speaker.
  • The High Court which was made up of a number of Judges determined by the Council of Ministers.

Prime Minister of Somaliland

Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal was the first and only holder of the office.[26]

No. Portrait Name
(Birth–Death) 		Election Term of office
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Muhammad Haji Ibrahim Egal
(1928 – 2002) 		1960 26 June 1960 1 July 1960 5 days

Somaliland Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers had five members:[27]

Name Designation
Mohamed Ibrahim Egal Prime Minister
Garad Ali Garad Jama Minister
Ahmed Hajji Duale Minister
Hajji Yusuf Iman Minister
Hajji Ibrahim Nur Minister

Somaliland Legislative Assembly

Members of the Legislative Assembly elected in February 1960

The Somaliland Legislative Assembly had 33 members (MLAs), including an ex-officio Speaker. Members of the legislative assembly were elected in February 1960 from 33 single-member constituencies.[28][29]

Party MLAs
Somali National League 20
National United Front 1
United Somali Party 12
Speaker 1
Total 34

Today's re-established Republic of Somaliland functions as a de facto independent state and regards itself as the legal successor to the State of Somaliland.[30][31] However, unlike the former State of Somaliland, it has not gained widespread diplomatic recognition as a country, instead being treated as an autonomous region within Somalia.[32][33]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Somalia". www.worldstatesmen.org.
  2. ^ a b Lansford, Tom (2015-03-24). Political Handbook of the World 2015. CQ Press. ISBN 978-1-4833-7155-9.
  3. ^ "SOMALILAND: DEMOCRATISATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS 28 July 2003" (PDF). International Crisis Group: 2. 2003. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  4. ^ a b "Agreements and Exchanges of Letters" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-10-10.
  5. ^ a b c Statutory Instruments. H.M. Stationery Office. 1960.
  6. ^ Somalia
  7. ^ a b Encyclopædia Britannica, The New Encyclopædia Britannica, (Encyclopædia Britannica: 2002), p.835
  8. ^ "Agreements and Exchanges of Letters" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-07-23.
  9. ^ "Central Intelligence Bulletin 26th Feb 1960" (PDF). CIA. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
  10. ^ a b "Somali Independence Week". Archived from the original on 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
  11. ^ Paolo Contini, The Somali Republic: an experiment in legal integration, (Routledge, 1969), p.6.
  12. ^ "Somaliland Marks Independence After 73 Years of British Rule" (fee required). The New York Times. 1960-06-26. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  13. ^ Greystone Press Staff, The Illustrated Library of The World and Its Peoples: Africa, North and East, (Greystone Press: 1967), p.338
  14. ^ Richards (2014), p. 84.
  15. ^ Richards (2014), p. 85.
  16. ^ a b c "Somaliland: The Little Country that Could" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04.
  17. ^ "Biyokulule Online". www.biyokulule.com.
  18. ^ "Read the eBook Department of State bulletin (Volume v. 43, Jul- Sep1960) by United States. Dept. of State. Office of Public Co online for free (page 25 of 100)". www.ebooksread.com. Archived from the original on 2020-10-30. Retrieved 2020-12-30.
  19. ^ "Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, Africa, Volume XIV - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov.
  20. ^ "THE BRENTHURST FOUNDATION Strengthening Africa's economic performance AFRICAN GAme ChANGeR? The Consequences of Somaliland's International (Non) Recognition

    This list includes China (Republic of ), Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Ghana, Israel, Libya, Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics, United Kingdom, and the United States.

    "     (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-10-05. Retrieved 2015-03-15.
  21. ^ "The Department of State Bulletin". 1960.
  22. ^ Hagoog, Adnan. "Brief history about somaliland constitutions".
  23. ^ "Statutory Instruments". 1960.
  24. ^ "Report of the Somaliland Protectorate Constitutional Conference" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-06-25.
  25. ^ "Somaliland Constitution 1960".
  26. ^ "Somaliland's 26th June 1960, 86 years of protectorate comes to end". 26 June 2019.
  27. ^ "Somaliland's 26th June 1960, 86 years of protectorate comes to end". 26 June 2019.
  28. ^ Dolf Sternberger, Bernhard Vogel, Dieter Nohlen & Klaus Landfried (1978) Die Wahl der Parlamente: Band II: Afrika, Zweiter Halbband, p1926
  29. ^ "Somaliland's 26th June 1960, 86 years of protectorate comes to end". 26 June 2019.
  30. ^ "Somaliland Marks Independence After 73 Years of British Rule" (fee required). The New York Times. 1960-06-26. p. 6. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  31. ^ "How Britain said farewell to its Empire". BBC News. 2010-07-23.
  32. ^ Lacey, Marc (2006-06-05). "The Signs Say Somaliland, but the World Says Somalia". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-02-02.
  33. ^ "The Transitional Federal Charter of the Somali Republic" (PDF). University of Pretoria. 2004-02-01. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2010-02-02. "The Somali Republic shall have the following boundaries. (a) North; Gulf of Aden. (b) North West; Djibouti. (c) West; Ethiopia. (d) South south-west; Kenya. (e) East; Indian Ocean."

Works cited

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