Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London,March 29፡2025 (Tigray Herald)
Kenya Recognizes Kosovo: What It Means for Somaliland’s Long Quest for International Recognition.
On March 26, 2025, Kenya officially recognized the Republic of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state—marking a major diplomatic milestone for Pristina and ending a five-year pause in new recognitions. While the move was celebrated in Kosovo, its ripple effects may be felt far beyond the Balkans—in the Horn of Africa, where the Republic of Somaliland has been waiting for recognition since 1991.
A Precedent That Revives Hope in Hargeisa.
Kenya’s decision sets an important precedent; a major African nation choosing principle over pressure, and recognizing a people’s right to self-determination even amid global political resistance. For Somaliland—a former British protectorate that re-gained its independence from Somalia in 1991—Kenya’s move underscores the growing possibility that African states can chart their own course on recognition matters, independent of rigid bloc politics or fear of backlash.
While Kosovo declared independence in 2008 and was rapidly recognized by Western powers, Somaliland’s case has remained in diplomatic limbo—despite meeting all the criteria for statehood under the 1933 Montevideo Convention: a permanent population, defined territory, functioning government, and capacity to enter into relations with other states. By all practical and legal standards, Somaliland operates as a fully independent state.
AU Fact Finding Mission: Somaliland is Not a Breakaway, But a Reclaimed Independence.
The African Union itself acknowledged Somaliland’s unique case. In 2005, an AU fact-finding mission concluded that “Somaliland is not a case of secession but a unique situation that calls for a unique solution.” The AU team noted that Somaliland’s borders were drawn by colonial powers, just like the rest of Africa’s states. In fact, Somaliland gained independence from the UK on June 26, 1960, and was recognized by more than 30 countries before it voluntarily entered into a failed union with Somalia just days later.
When that union collapsed in 1991 following a brutal civil war and the genocide of Somalilanders by Siad Barre’s regime, Somaliland restored its independence—not as a new state—but as a sovereign one resuming its previous status. That legal distinction puts Somaliland in an entirely different category than secessionist movements and lends further weight to its claim under international law.
Kenya’s Diplomatic Courage: A Challenge to the Status Quo.
Kenya’s recognition of Kosovo highlights the power of African states to lead in international diplomacy rather than follow. It sends a message that recognition need not be dictated by geopolitical giants or vetoes in the UN Security Council. It also highlights a stark double standard, Kosovo, which separated from Serbia in 2008, has now been recognized by over 100 countries despite fierce opposition from Russia and Serbia—while Somaliland, with a much stronger legal and historical claim, remains unrecognized largely due to political inertia.
What’s Next for Somaliland?
Kenya’s recognition of Kosovo should embolden African states to reassess Somaliland’s case with fresh eyes and renewed moral clarity. Somaliland has held multiple democratic elections, controls its own territory, and maintains peace and order in a region plagued by instability. It is a functioning state in everything but name. If Kosovo, a country carved from a collapsed federation, can gain Kenya’s recognition—why not Somaliland, which reasserted its independence from a voluntary union and has the documentation and history to prove it?
Somaliland has fulfilled all legal and practical criteria for statehood and has waited over 30 years for recognition. The Montevideo Convention and the 2005 AU fact-finding report support Somaliland’s legitimacy.
Recognition should not be stalled by global consensus—justice for Somaliland is both a legal right and a moral obligation.
